After all the furore over a substandard playing surface, at least Manchester City were pitch perfect at a freezing Khimki Arena.

Near enough, anyway, as they dominated their Russian hosts before weathering a late bombardment to safeguard three precious points courtesy of an exceptional stoppage-time save from Joe Hart.

CSKA Moscow looked certain to salvage a draw when Keisuke Honda took aim from point-blank range, but Hart reacted brilliantly to block his shot and fully merited the congratulations of his grateful team-mates when the final whistle sounded seconds later.

City can now take a decisive step towards the knockout stages by completing a double over the champions of Russia in the return meeting, and they owed as much to Sergio Aguero as Hart for their second successive away win. The lethal frontrunner was on target twice to take his tally to eight goals in his last six City games.

Most home teams can count on loud vocal backing from one end or the other, but CSKA had it from both in a raucous opening that could have become even more intimidating for City inside the first minute.

Former Manchester United winger Zoran Tosic threaded a ball through to Seydou Doumbia, who looked to be in until Hart dashed from his line to hack clear from outside his area. City’s England keeper has had his critics this season, but he read the danger expertly and handled it just as commendably.

The flag-waving home support should have been silenced, temporarily at least, after a David Silva corner was flicked on at the near post by Aguero. Forcing the ball over the line ought to have been a formality for Yaya Toure, but the midfielder somehow misjudged the bounce and connected with thin air as he tried to turn it in.

The pitch was uneven and bare in patches, despite the bizarre decision to spray green paint on it a few hours before kick-off.

It wasn’t proving quite as unplayable as City manager Manuel Pellegrini had warned beforehand, though Aguero might have argued otherwise after taking aim from nearly 30 yards and stubbing his toe on a mound of sand.

It wasn’t the only time Aguero made a connection that wasn’t to his liking. A slick build-up involving Jesus Navas, Toure and Pablo Zabaleta opened up the home team in the 14th minute and deserved a better finish than the miscued volley bobbled harmlessly wide.

A breakthrough beckoned again for Aguero in the 22nd minute after a Toure cross found him in space barely 12 yards out. The usually dependable City marksman sent his header looping over.

It might have proved costly, as CSKA reinforced a growing impression that, pressed back though they had been, they posed a threat on the break.

Honda had taken the eye with his footwork, but it was a header by the livewire frontrunner that undid City in the 32nd minute as it sent Tosic scampering clear to beat Hart with a carefully measured lob over the advancing keeper.

Stung by the injustice of falling behind, the response from City was rapid. They were level within two minutes as Aguero made up for his misses by prodding home at the second attempt after Silva had latched on to Aleksandar Kolarov’s pass to put the City striker in.

Aguero’s rich vein of form continued as he deservedly put his side in front in the 42nd minute.

Alvaro Negredo crossed from the right and Aguero made the most of hesitancy from one-time Manchester United target Igor Akinfeev by ducking in front of the keeper and heading in from close range.

City thought they had extended their lead in the 47th minute when Navas’s pace and persistence carried him to the byeline for a cut-back that Negredo bundled in from close range. It looked legitimate, but referee Ovidiu Hategan not only ruled it out for an apparent handball but booked a disbelieving Negredo into the bargain.

City were a cut above a side struggling in their league, 11 points behind leaders Zenit St Petersburg, but a one-goal lead could never be considered comfortable. If a reminder were needed, it arrived in the 53rd minute with a header from Doumbia that required an acrobatic save from Hart.

A third City goal would have made things more comfortable, and it almost arrived courtesy of more uncertainty from Akinfeev. Toure’s free-kick should have produced a routine save, but the fumbling keeper just about pushed it over.

Roared on by the crowd, CSKA mounted one last push and thought they had come up with an equaliser 10 minutes from time. Substitute Ahmed Musa could hardly have connected any better from 25 yards, but referee Hategan blew for a foul on Toure as the ball arrowed past an airborne Hart on its way into the top corner.

There was one final scare as an unmarked Honda controlled a cross at the far post but had his shot saved by Hart. It had been a tough battle against the side known as the Army Men, but City just about did enough to earn their stripes.

— Daily Mail