Abu Dhabi A powerful second-half display from an under-strength Manchester City earned the English Premier League champions a morale-boosting 2-0 friendly victory over Hamburg at the Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium in Al Ain last night.

Strikers Stevan Jovetic (50) and Edin Dzeko (74) were on target for City, who are in the UAE for a warm weather training break ahead of Saturday’s home match against Middlesbrough in the FA Cup fourth round.

It may have been only a friendly, but City will have been pleased to have rebounded in style from Sunday’s 2-0 home league defeat to Arsenal.

Yet, the victory was tinged with disappointment for the club’s UAE fans as City left a host of star first-teamers out of their squad for the game and blooded unheralded young guns such as Brandon Barker, Thierry Ambrose and George Evans. Sitting out the friendly were captain Vincent Kompany, goalkeeper Joe Hart, midfielders David Silva and Fernandinho.

Striker Sergio Aguero also looked set to miss the encounter, having been left off the official squad list. However, the diminutive Argentine made a welcome cameo appearance in the second half, provoking loud cries of approval from the Al Ain stands.

Al Ain’s impressive Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium may have only been half full for a match, marking the first anniversary of the 25,000-seater venue, yet those who were present made for a lively atmosphere with their exuberant cheering.

City nearly opened the scoring when James Milner’s right-wing cross was deflected narrowly past the post by right-back Ashton Goetze.

After 22 minutes, City were dealt a blow when Frank Lampard was withdrawn — perhaps a precautionary move with a home game against Middlesbrough in the FA Cup fourth round looming on Saturday — for winger Scott Sinclair.

Yet Pellegrini’s men almost made light of this disappointment when Dzeko’s low shot was deflected behind by centre-back Slobodan Rajkovic.

Hamburg were next to go close when Artjons Rudnevs’ chip sailed narrowly over, with City goalkeeper Willy Caballero left helpless.

Joe Zinnbauer’s men were providing a strong test for their more illustrious opponents, with Ronny Marcos causing the City defence consternation with his trickery down the left.

City’s most dangerous man was Milner, meanwhile, the doughty winger showing the lively running of old as rumours swirl over his future at the club.

By now, the action was end to end — more redolent of a fiercely competitive Cup tie than a friendly — with both sides having chances to open the scoring as half-time approached.

For the English side, Sagna and Dzeko fired narrowly wide, while Hamburg midfielder Zoltan Steiber’s deflected effort was ruled out for offside two minutes before the break.

City emerged the stronger of the two teams after the break and took the lead on 50 minutes when Jovetic latched onto the long through ball from half-time substitute Evans and slid the ball beyond substitute goalkeeper Rene Adler.

Joy turned to sadness for the Blues, however, when another young half-time replacement, Thierry Ambrose, was stretchered off and replaced by winger Jesus Navas.

The Spanish flyer almost made an immediate impact when his cross was deflected over after being played in by Sinclair, who looked anxious to impress after being overlooked in recent times.

The biggest cheers of the night were reserved for the surprise introduction of 19-goal top-scorer Sergio Aguero, who replaced Jovetic after 65 minutes. Yet it was Aguero’s fellow frontman, Dzeko, who stole the limelight from his revered teammate by scoring City’s second goal 16 minutes before time.

The Serb chested down Milner’s left-wing cross, before coolly firing past Adler from inside the box.