Foden shines, Man City beats Wydad in opening match of FIFA Club World Cup

(NLDO) – Man City's debut to North American audiences would have been completely perfect with a 2-0 victory over Wydad AC if it weren't for Rico Lewis's red card at the end of the match.

Heavyweight contender Man City had a relatively impressive opening match against Wydad (Morocco) in the opening match of Group G of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 at Lincoln Financial Field (Philadelphia, USA).

Despite fielding a squad without many key players, the English representative still played exceptionally well and convincingly won all 3 points.

Omar Marmoush was blocked by Wydad defenders

Coach Pep Guardiola continues to rotate his squad to test the depth of his squad in his quest to win the world title.

Names like Erling Haaland, Rodri or Ruben Dias were all kept on the bench, instead, Phil Foden, Jérémy Doku and new recruits like Rayan Cherki were given the opportunity to start.

Phil Foden opened the scoring in the 2nd minute of the match.

In the 2nd minute, Man City opened the scoring. From a chaotic situation in the penalty area after Doku's dribble, Wydad goalkeeper Mehdi Benabid pushed the ball right into Phil Foden's shot range.

The English player did not miss the opportunity when he finished neatly into an empty net, putting the English team ahead.

Foden shines on Man City's opening day

The advantage in the game continued to be maintained. In the 41st minute, Foden continued to leave his mark with an accurate cross from the right wing, creating conditions for Doku to jump high and head the ball to increase the score to 2-0.

Both young players showed efficiency and sharpness in their playing style, despite not being on the field regularly in the final stages of last season.

Jeremy Doku doubled the lead for Man City

In the second half, Man City took the initiative to slow down the pace of the match but still created many dangerous opportunities. Newcomer Rayan Cherki, a 40 million euro contract from Lyon, was given a chance by coach Guardiola and had a quite confident performance.

Technical dribbling and the ability to coordinate well with teammates helped Cherki score points in the eyes of the coaching staff.

Haaland, Gundogan, Rodri were brought onto the field in the second half

On the opposite side, Wydad played hard but could not create many breakthroughs. Although there were a few dangerous counter-attacks that forced goalkeeper Ederson to show his talent, the difference in class between the two teams was undeniable.

An unsuccessful siege from Wydad

However, Man City also received a blemish when young defender Rico Lewis was sent off in the 85th minute after a high tackle. This means he will miss the next match against Al-Ain.

Speaking after the match, coach Guardiola expressed satisfaction: "We controlled the game well, scored early and maintained concentration. This is a good start for the long journey ahead."

He also did not forget to praise the young players: "Foden returned at the right time. Doku was very decisive, and Cherki created a very promising feeling."

Defending champions Man City have had a relatively successful start.

With a 2-0 win, Man City temporarily leads Group G and will meet Al-Ain (UAE) in the second match. Meanwhile, Wydad will have to face Juventus - a difficult challenge if they want to win a ticket to the next round.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/foden-toa-sang-man-city-thang-wydad-tran-ra-quan-fifa-club-world-cup-196250619063724714.htm