City scream blue murder

Manchester City 2 Ajax 2

Trailing to two early goals from Ajax captain Siem de Jong, City fought back to take a deserved point through replies from Yaya Toure and Sergio Aguero, although the goals were only part of the drama.

On the final whistle, City’s volatile forward Mario Balotelli had to be forcibly prevented from approaching Danish referee Peter Rasmussen after he turned down a late penalty claim and ruled out an Aguero ‘winner’ while Mancini argued forcibly with the officials and a cameraman who crossed his path.

City also felt aggrieved Rasmussen did not award them a spot kick in the first half following a challenge by Christian Poulsen on Toure.

Replays suggested Balotelli had a just claim, as he was tugged by Ajax defender Ricardo van Rhijn in a goalmouth melee, and the unsuccessful penalty appeal may have major repercussions, not only for City’s future in the competition but Mancini’s future as the club’s manager.

Mancini’s antics and demonstrative behaviour look likely to be viewed dimly by UEFA and the Italian could face a touchline ban, as the Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger suffered in 2010-11.

Mancini pulled no punches when discussing the performance of the officials. “The referee and the linesman were really poor. It was a penalty, and it was a goal,” said the angry Italian manager.

“I think we played well but conceded two goals from two corners. We made a lot of chances.”

With Borussia Dortmund drawing at Real Madrid in the other pool match, a City victory would have left them with a very decent chance of securing a top-two finish. Now, they must beat Real and win in Dortmund while hoping the other two results go their way.

How different it might have been had City’s defence not committed professional suicide from two early set-pieces.

After nine minutes, Ryan Babel sent over a dangerous right-wing corner which Niklas Moisander turned, inaccurately, towards goal. Stunningly, City left de Jong completely unmarked at the far post and the midfielder converted clinically.

Only seven minutes later, City were even more disorganised at the back as Toure failed to follow de Jong as he ran towards the near post to meet Eriksen’s corner and finish with a powerful, angled header.

City defender Vincent Kompany admitted Ajax’s two early goals could probably have been avoided. “Those two goals were really not good.”

But Toure quickly made amends for his earlier defensive error with a magnificent piece of finishing, a goal which breathed life into the fixture and City’s fading European aspirations.

Samir Nasri, ineffective for most of the evening, sent over a cross from the right of the Ajax area and Toure backed skilfully into his marker before scoring with a crisp volley on the turn from six yards.

Pablo Zabaleta’s header might have equalised before the interval while de Jong might have claimed an incredible first-half hat-trick when his long shot flew just off target.

But the introduction of Balotelli at the interval, and Edin Dzeko midway through the second half, signalled Mancini’s attacking intent. City’s defence may have been brutally exposed at times this season — particularly in Europe — but their attacking arsenal boasts talent on a par with most teams.

Hart was still required to make solid stops, from de Jong and a Lasse Schone free-kick, before the inevitable equaliser came courtesy of Aguero.

The Argentina forward raced onto Balotelli’s flick-on, from Hart’s long kick, and outpaced Toby Alderweireld before scoring, right-footed, from a step inside the penalty area.

Balotelli almost scored with a fine header from a Nasri free-kick, well saved by Kenneth Vermeer, and Aguero had his “goal” disallowed before the late drama, which included another superb save from Hart to deny Christian Eriksen.

It was a finale which summed up City’s disappointment with the referee and allowed Mancini the opportunity to place blame for the result on the officiating rather than the terrible defending.

At the end of a week in which Mancini’s long-term future had been under intense spotlight and, according to experienced City watchers, the Italian had started to show signs of the strain, and Rasmussen’s performance was a convenient get-out.

MANCHESTER CITY (4-2-3-1): Hart 7; Zabaleta 5, Kompany 6, Nastasic 5, Clichy 5; Javi 5 (Balotelli 46, 6), Barry 7 (Kolarov 85); Nasri 6, Y Toure 7, Aguero 6; Tevez 8 (Dzeko 66, 6).

AFC AJAX (4-3-3): Vermeer 6; van Rhijn 7, Alderweireld 6, Moisander 6; Blind 7; de Jong 9, Poulsen 8 (Fischer 87), Schone 7 (Enoh 77, 6); Boerrigter 7 (Sana 90), Eriksen 7, Babel 6.

Referee: P Rasmussen (Denmark).