Manchester City has successfully secured a spot in the knockout stages of the FIFA Club World Cup, defeating Al Ain 6-0 at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. The team, managed by Pep Guardiola, dominated the match, showcasing their skill and depth.
Ilkay Gundogan scored two goals, while Erling Haaland added one on penalty. Claudio Echeverri, Oscar Bobb, and Rayan Cherki also scored for City. Despite their impressive performance, Guardiola expressed disappointment that his team couldn’t score a seventh goal. “We pushed and pushed to score another goal,” he said.
The win puts Manchester City level with Juventus on points and goal difference at the top of Group G. City will face Juventus on Thursday to determine who tops the group and potentially avoids a last-16 match against Spanish giants Real Madrid.
City’s star forward Rodri came off the bench, continuing his gradual return from an ACL injury. Guardiola mentioned that Rodri “cannot play more than 30 minutes” and still needs to work on his strength and dueling abilities. However, he praised Rodri’s improvement, saying, “It’s important he played much, much better than the previous game. We miss him a lot. Any team would miss the best player in the world.”
With their spot in the knockout stages secured, Manchester City will focus on topping Group G. The team’s final group-stage match against Juventus will determine the group’s standings. A win or a draw would likely secure the top spot for City, but the outcome depends on various factors, including goal difference and head-to-head results.