June 18, (THEWILL) – Manchester City opened their Club World Cup campaign with a 2-0 victory over Wydad AC, though the performance left room for improvement despite the comfortable scoreline.
The reigning champions took control early when Phil Foden found the net inside two minutes, capitalising on Savinho’s enterprising work in the penalty area after the Moroccan goalkeeper could only parry a shot into a dangerous position.
City dominated possession throughout the opening 45 minutes but struggled to convert their territorial advantage into a commanding lead.
Wydad implemented a disciplined defensive strategy whilst applying consistent pressure on Pep Guardiola’s side, creating an unexpectedly competitive atmosphere at the venue.
The visitors’ persistence nearly paid dividends before Jérémy Doku doubled City’s advantage just before the interval, converting from a corner kick with Foden providing the assist.
The introduction of Erling Haaland and Rodri during the second half failed to produce the expected goal rush, with City maintaining their methodical approach without finding the clinical edge that has defined their recent success.
Despite controlling the tempo and creating several opportunities, the former English Premier League champions appeared content to manage their lead rather than extend it significantly.
The match took a controversial turn in the 88th minute when Rico Lewis received a straight red card for a challenge on Samuel Obeng.
Television replays showed Lewis’s sliding tackle caught the Wydad player in the face, but the red card prompted furious protests from City players who believed the decision was harsh.
VAR reviewed the incident but upheld the referee’s original judgement, leaving City to complete the final minutes with 10 men.
The victory sets up an intriguing group stage encounter with Juventus, where City will need to demonstrate greater attacking fluency to maintain their trophy ambitions.
Guardiola’s squad will view this opening result favourably whilst acknowledging that sterner tests await in their pursuit of global club supremacy.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
