UEFA Cup: EB Streymur 0-2 Man City - A Faroe start

Unlike the dozen Manchester City fans who tried to get here on a fishing trawler, Mark Hughes' first game in charge was plain sailing.

The supporters were flown to the Faroes after being turned back because of stormy seas, but nothing could prevent Hughes making a safe passage to the next round, and the return leg will be another formality.

City were competent against EB Streymur's collection of teachers, accountants and car dealers - but Sparky won't be going overboard.

The savvy Welshman knows much sterner tests lie ahead if he is going to please City's ruthless owner Thaksin Shinawatra.

Last night's UEFA Cup qualifier might have been as gentle an introduction to managing City as Hughes could have wished for, yet he was still determined to make his mark.

He sent out his strongest available starting 11, which contained just five survivors from Sven Goran Eriksson's final game in charge when the Blues were walloped 8-1 at Middlesbrough. Hughes had no qualms about handing record £19m signing Jo his debut in the Torsvollur national stadium in front of 3,000 people and a few sheep.

The Brazilian showed a few glimpses of the talent which persuaded Shinawatra to part with so much of his fortune before he was replaced by starlet Chad Evans - although he failed to hit the target with a shot and a header.

Hughes welcomed back England star Micah Richards, who hadn't played since damaging his knee in February, and Nedum Onouha, who has been out since dislocating his shoulder in April, and both made solid contributions.

This first leg tie was also notable as the first City game to be refereed by a woman - and Swiss Nicole Petignat nearly caught the TV broadcasters with their pants down by kicking off four minutes early.

The contest was all over after 28 minutes on a pitch dug into a hillside overlooking the capital Torshavn.

Martin Petrov scored the first goal of Hughes' reign after nine minutes when Darius Vassell rolled the ball across the box and the Bulgarian dispatched it into the far top corner, giving car mechanic Rene Torgard no chance.

Then the home side could only clear Petrov's corner as far as Didi Hamann, lurking just outside the area, and he volleyed home with the outside of his right foot.

Streymur's home kit resembles Inter Milan's, but that's where the similarities end - although they started the second half with spirit.

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