Not only did City fail to win but they failed to even score as the Poles progressed to the third round on away goals after a 0-0 stalemate.
McManaman and Fowler fired narrowly wide in the first half but the hosts had the better chances.
Sun made a last ditch tackle to deny Niedzielan when the striker was played clear and Richard Dunne then came to the rescue, clearing off the line after the Polish international had rounded David Seaman.
Robbie Fowler cameback on a post for a corner and he too had to save City by nodding clear a goalbound header.
City created little more in the second period until Nicolas Anelka and his strike partner Fowler both missed within minutes. Fowler missed a header while Anelka wasted City's clearest opportunity by shooting tamely at the Groclin keeper.
Jon Macken and Paulo Wanchope replaced the bungling big-money buys on 73 minutes and they still couldn't break the deadlock as Groclin got bodies back to defend their away goal advantage.
Sebastian Mila's free-kick proved to be the decisive factor in the tie so if City had capitalised on that early domination in Manchester then it'd be the Blues looking forward to a potential plum draw, and not the Poles.