Swansea 1-2 Manchester City: Second string visitors ease to victory

It proved the perfect start to their EFL Cup defence for Pep Guardiola's outfit, whose efficiency in front of goal saw them emerge victors at Liberty Stadium

Second-half goals from Gael Clichy and Aleix Garcia were enough for Manchester City to open their EFL Cup campaign with a 2-1 win at Swansea City on Wednesday.

Pep Guardiola's men were setting out to defend their title but had to settle for a 0-0 scoreline going into the break.

The visitors came out in the second half with the same intent and eventually broke the deadlock through Clichy, who stood unmarked on the edge of the area to lash home with the help of a deflection.

Garcia then doubled City's lead and made the result safe when he turned in Jesus Navas' cross, rendering Gylfi Sigurdsson's 93rd minute strike a mere consolation.

In the first of two meetings between the sides in the space of three days, it was the visitors who began on the front foot, youngster Angelino drilling wide after connecting with Pablo Zabaleta's cross.

Swansea – winners in 2013 – went close 14 minutes in, record signing Borja pouncing on Caballero's stray pass, but City's goalkeeper atoned for his error with an instinctive save from the Spaniard's venomous strike.

Francesco Guidolin's side continued to press, with only a fine interception from Kompany denying Borja what would have been a simple tap-in from Neil Taylor's cross.

City responded well though, Kristoffer Nordfeldt doing brilliantly to prevent Mike van der Hoorn turning Garcia's delivery into his own goal.

Leroy Sane was the next to test Swansea's resolve but, having latched onto Fernando's clever flick-on, the Germany youngster could only direct a tame half-volley into the grasp of Nordfeldt.

Swansea started brightly following the restart – Borja trying his luck with an acrobatic effort – but it was City who had the lead when they carved open the hosts' defence with a superb counter.

Angelino was the architect, combining sharply with Kelechi Iheanacho before driving forward at pace and picking out Clichy on the cusp of Swansea's area – the full-back's deflected strike evading the grasp of Nordfeldt and nestling into the bottom-left corner.

Guidolin introduced Sigurdsson on the hour, and the Iceland playmaker was almost gifted a goal when John Stones took a heavy touch in City's area, but the former Tottenham man could not make the most of the opportunity.

However, just as Swansea looked to build some momentum, City turned on the style once more, Jesus Navas picking out his compatriot Garcia, who duly prodded in his maiden City goal.

After a period of late pressure, Swansea netted a deserved consolation goal in stoppage time – Sigurdsson nudging home from close range. City, though, will be troubled by the sight of Kompany heading down the tunnel before the final whistle as the visitors held firm to seal progression.