Red Star Belgrade 2-3 Man City: Youngsters Micah Hamilton and Oscar Bobb both score and impress as Pep Guardiola’s side end Champions League group stage with a perfect record… with Kalvin Phillips netting winner from the spot

• Man City have a perfect group stage record after strong Champions League run 
• Hamilton opened the scoring, followed by Bobb and outcast Kalvin Phillips 
• Mauricio Pochettino looks bewildered! Serial winners are the SIXTH best team in London – It’s All Kicking Off

Try telling Manchester City’s kids that this was a dead rubber game.

This was a night where the club’s academy graduates shone on the European stage, with Micah Hamilton and Oscar Bobb scoring their first senior goals to help City become only the second English team to win all six of their Champions League group matches. There was even joy for Kalvin Phillips, who also netted his first City goal with a second half penalty.

City had already secured top spot ahead of this final match against Red Star Belgrade – who were guaranteed to finish bottom regardless of their result. There was little at stake, but this turned into an entertaining encounter and for Hamilton and Bobb – a night to remember.

Manchester-born Hamilton was one of the ball boys that Pep Guardiola instructed to help lift his team’s intensity by ensuring games re-started quicker. Six years later, he was celebrating a debut goal in Europe’s elite competition.

Hamilton has had to be patient for his chance in the first team. A series of injuries has halted his progress to the first team, with other academy graduates getting their opportunity in his absence.

Youngsters like Oscar Bobb (left) and Rico Lewis ran the show against Red Star Belgrade

Micah Hamilton scored just 20 minutes into his Man City senior debut with a perfect strike

Midfield outcast Kalvin Phillips was handed a rare start and reaped the rewards with a penalty

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Red Star Belgrade 2-3 Manchester City: Match facts 

Red Star Belgrade (4-3-3): Glazer 6, Nedeljkovic 6 (Kabic 78, 6), Dijia 5, Spajic 5 (Rodic 65, 6), Dragovic 6, Kanga (Katai 57, 6), Mijailovic 6, Inbeom 7, Bukari 7, Ndiaye 6 (Mijatovic 57, 6), Olayinka 6.5 (Lucic 57, 6)

Subs not used: Vasiljevic, Milunovic, Degenk, Stamenic, Kangwa, Mitrovic, Krasso

Booked: Spajic, Dijia, Mijailovic

Goals: In-beom 76, Katai 90+1

Manager: Barak Bakhar 6

Manchester City (4-2-3-1): Ortega 7, Lewis 7, Stones 6.5 (Ake 86), Akanji 6.5, Gomez 6, Phillips 6.5, Kovacic 6 (Susoho 76, 6), Hamilton 8, Nunes 6.5 (Silva 82), Grealish 6.5 (Foden 45, 6), Bobb 8.5

Subs not used: Carson, Grant, Ake, Walker, Gvardiol, Alleyne, Dias, Rodri, Alvarez

Booked: Phillips

Goals: Hamilton 19, Bobb 62

Manager: Pep Guardiola 7

Referee: Aliyar Aghayev 6

His passionate celebration after the ball had hit the back of the net showed that it was certainly worth the wait. For Bobb, this was vindication for trusting Guardiola. The City boss rejected enquiries from Porto and Ajax in the summer as well as multiple loan approaches. Bobb was leading the line in the absence of the injured Erling Haaland. And just like his fellow Norwegian, he showed he knows exactly where the goal is.

Guardiola had promised his fringe players a run out here and the City boss kept to his word, with nine changes to the team that beat Luton last weekend. Five of the starting XI had come through the club’s academy.

The Rajko Mitic Stadium is historically an intimidating place for opposition teams and the home fans turned out in force despite their elimination from Europe already sealed. Their players eventually matched their intensity – with two second half goals – but for much of the first half City operated as if this was a training match. The brief spark was provided by Hamilton in the 19th minute.

A flowing City move saw Jack Grealish combine with Matheus Nunes, who flicked the ball out wide to Hamilton. The forward still had much to do as he shimmied past Peter Olayinka and Aleksandar Dragovic before firing a powerful finish into the roof of the net from a tight angle. A passionate celebration showed just how much it meant.

Hamilton nearly found a second shortly after half-time with a shot that bounced just wide of the far post.

Red Star offered more in the second half, with Stefan Ortega forced into two fine saves in the 50th minute. First the goalkeeper flung out a glove to block Cherif Ndiaye’s close range drive, before a long-range effort from Guelor Kanga over the bar.

Jack Grealish was swapped for the second-half after appearing to injure his side in Belgrade

Despite claiming a strong lead, Pep Guardiola was keen to demand more of his players 

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Muted in the first-half, Red Star had increasing chances in the second 45 minutes at home

Bobb’s first Champions League goal sparked scenes of celebration on the City touchline

But it was the impressive Bobb who found the net at the other end. The forward showed quick feet to dribble past two Red Star defenders before tucking a tidy finish into the bottom right corner.

The home fans did get a chance to celebrate as Inbeom Hwang pulled one back in the 76th minute. The forward played one-two with Osman Bukari to go around substitute Mahamadou Susoho and Phillips before firing into the bottom right corner.

But City soon re-gained their two-goal lead when Hamilton won a penalty in the 83rd minute. The forward broke through the Red Star defence before being tripped by Nasser Djiga. Phillips was given the ball and converted emphatically.

There was still time for a nervy finish as Red Star’s Aleksandar Katai shrugged off Sergio Gomez to bundle in a second goal in stoppage time. But it did not spoil what was a memorable night for City’s young team.

Red Star looked hungrier after scoring their first goal and saw a number of chances go astray

Aleksandar Katai (leaping) netted a bulleted second from a corner on the stroke of 90 minutes

The home side looked as if they might spoil Man City’s party in the dying minute of the tie

But Guardiola’s side instead pulled off their eighth consecutive victory in the competition, an English record

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