Ilkay Gundogan isn’t exactly known for scoring flukes but when he does, they’re still kinda brilliant. And when he follows it up with a classy dink? Well, it’s just another day in Pep Guardiola’s footballing utopia.
Manchester City absolutely dismantled Al-Ain in the Club World Cup
Manchester City absolutely dismantled Al-Ain in the Club World Cup group stage, putting six past the UAE side to secure a comfy spot in the last 16. Ruthless? You bet. Entertaining? Absolutely. Scary? Always.
The win, City’s second of the tournament after brushing aside Wydad AC, sets up a juicy Group G decider against Juventus. Why? Because finishing top means avoiding a potential Real Madrid showdown in the next round. No pressure then, lads.
Gundogan’s Goals: A Bit Lucky, A Bit Lovely
The party started early, just eight minutes in, actually. Gundogan tried to chip in a cross but instead ended up lobbing the ‘keeper with the sweetest slice of luck you’ll see all week. Some call it a fluke. We call it football poetry. He made up for it (not that he needed to) with a beautiful dink later on in the second half to seal his brace. A performance as smooth as your Spotify Wrapped playlist.
Debut Delight for Echeverri And Ait-Nouri
If you didn’t know who Claudio Echeverri was, you do now. Making his first start, the Argentine teenager curled in an absolute peach of a free-kick from the edge of the box. A goal so aesthetically pleasing it deserves its own art exhibit. Oh, and Ait-Nouri? The £31m Wolves recruit ran the left flank like it was his private racetrack. Inside cuts, dangerous crosses, and a bag full of flair, Al-Ain defenders might still be dizzy.
Ice-Cold Haaland And Sub Impact
Just when Al-Ain thought things couldn’t get worse, Ramy Rabia bundled over Akanji in the box. Enter: Erling Haaland. Ice-cold from the spot, 3-0 before halftime, and City were cruising. The second half? That was just bonus content for fans.
Oscar Bobb came on and looked like he’d had enough of being on the bench, cut inside, fired near post, bang. Then Rayan Cherki said, “Why not?” and smashed home his first City goal with a thunderous low drive. When even your subs are scoring screamers, you know you’re doing alright.
Al-Ain Outclassed, But They’ve Come Far
Al-Ain earned their Club World Cup spot by winning the 2024 Asian Champions League under Hernan Crespo, but tonight was a tough reality check. Now under former Watford boss Vladimir Ivic, the UAE outfit were simply outgunned by City’s firepower and squad depth. No shame in that, honestly.
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For Guardiola, this was the kind of performance that sends a message. Every player looked sharp, every touch seemed intentional, and even the fringe guys played like they had a point to prove. With Juventus up next, it’s about momentum and Pep’s machine just keeps rolling.
Final Score: Manchester City 6-0 Al-Ain
Next up: The Italian Job vs Juventus. Let’s see if City can avoid an early Real reunion.
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