Hughes confident of Uefa progress

Wright-Phillips (centre) is mobbed by team-mates after scoring City's second

Mark Hughes believes Manchester City are in a strong position to progress in the Uefa Cup after a 2-0 first-leg win against Aalborg in the last 16.

"It was a positive result, and a clean sheet," said the City manager. "We could have scored more on the night - we had chances to put the tie to bed.

"But it's 2-0 and we feel we will score over there. Then it will be difficult for them to come back.

"It was a good professional European performance. We are in good shape."

Hughes admitted that Aalborg may not have played their best at Eastlands, but also felt that City did not allow them to.

"They are a good side but they possibly didn't show as much as we thought they might," he added.

"But that is credit to us. We were on the front foot and broke really quickly. And we always think we have goals in us."

Hughes felt his side should have hade a penalty when Michael Beauchamp brought down Robinho.

He said: "We looked at the incident and it was very clearly a penalty and should have been given.

"At that stage, a third goal would have been key and would have enabled us to look at the second leg in a different light.

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For what was billed as a very difficult game for us, turned out pretty good

Elano

"But they will have to come out and we are good on the break."

Midfielder Stephen Ireland is also confident that City will get a good result in the return leg on Thursday 19 March.

However, he conceded that his side should have added to goals by Felipe Caicedo and Shaun Wright-Phillips and made their passage to the quarter-finals more certain.

"We should have finished the game off here," he said.

"When we go there next we have to be clever and not concede too early and get on the back foot, but we've done well away from home in Europe this season.

"I think we're strong and peaking at the right time of the season. We're feeling confident going there."