Ilkay Gundogan scored a brace as Manchester City secured their place in the knockout stages of the FIFA Club World Cup with a comfortable 5-0 victory over Al Ain of the United Arab Emirates on Monday.
Pep Guardiola’s side followed up their opening-game win over Wydad AC with another dominant performance. Gundogan opened the scoring in the eighth minute with a fortuitous, looping cross-shot that sailed over the Al Ain goalkeeper. The German international added his second with a deftly chipped finish in the second half.
Argentine midfielder Claudio Echeverri marked his first start for the club with a sublime free-kick from the edge of the penalty area, while Erling Haaland converted a penalty just before halftime to give City a 3-0 lead at the break. The spot-kick was awarded after a VAR review for a foul on Manuel Akanji.
Substitutes Oscar Bobb and Rayan Cherki completed the scoring late in the game, with Cherki netting his first goal for the club with a powerful low drive.
The match, played at the enclosed and air-conditioned 71,000-capacity Mercedes-Benz Stadium, was a showcase of Manchester City’s squad depth. Guardiola named a completely different starting lineup from their first match, handing full debuts to left-back Rayan Ait-Nouri and midfielder Echeverri. Bernardo Silva captained the side for the first time.
Al Ain, the 2024 Asian Champions League winners, were unable to mount a significant challenge against their Premier League opponents.
The victory sets up a decisive final group game for Manchester City against Italian side Juventus in Orlando on Thursday. Both teams are through to the last 16, and the match will determine who finishes top of Group G, likely avoiding a tougher draw in the next round. Al Ain and Wydad AC have both been eliminated after suffering two consecutive defeats.
Discover more from
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.