Manchester City produced a comprehensive display to secure a 5-2 victory over Juventus and finish top of Group G at the Club World Cup. The win puts City as the only perfect team in the tournament and sets them up for a potential easier route through the latter stages.
Both sides entered the final game with two wins, but City took control from the off, with Jeremy Doku linking beautifully with Rayan Ait-Nouri to put them ahead in the 9th minute. A lapse in concentration from Ederson allowed Teun Koopmeiners to level matters, but a comical own-goal from Pierre Kalulu gave City the lead once more.
Erling Haaland, who came off the bench at the break, scored his 300th career goal before providing the assist for Phil Foden to make it 4-1. Savinho's stunning fifth goal followed before Dusan Vlahovic netted late for Juve.
Pep Guardiola's side will face the runners-up from Group H - either Real Madrid, Red Bull Salzburg, or Al Hilal - in the last 16 on Monday.
City's midfield, led by Rodri who made his first start since last September, was particularly effective, controlling the game effectively. Guardiola praised his team's performance, stating, "We talked about what we have to improve to be who we were in the past. We're happy to finish first against a top side and we are waiting on our opponent."
Bernardo Silva, who scored one of the goals, was also pleased with the team's performance, saying, "We're very happy with what we did against a top team. It was our best performance at this tournament."
City's dominance in midfield was evident, with Rodri's return making a significant impact. Sky Sports News chief reporter Kaveh Solhekol commented, "City's new-look midfield was particularly effective at the start of the second half, with Rodri sitting deep and the impressive Tijjani Reijnders operating just behind Haaland. When Rodri plays it seems like City have total control of games. It's good to have him back."
The win sets City up for a potentially easier route through the latter stages of the tournament, with Chelsea on the same side of the draw, meaning there cannot be an all-Premier League final.
Comments (0)
Leave a Comment
Be the first to comment on this article!