Seoul: Manchester City defeat Atletico Madrid in friendly match
City secures victory in Seoul
Manchester City secured a 3-1 victory over Atletico Madrid in a friendly match held in Seoul, South Korea. The match saw Omar Marmoush score two goals in quick succession during the second half, contributing to City’s comeback win after initially falling behind.
Atletico Madrid took the lead just before half-time. A corner from Koke was not fully cleared by City, allowing Morten Hjulmand to set up Jorge Dominguez, a 16-year-old player, who then scored past goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.
The equaliser for City came in the 57th minute. Antoine Semenyo demonstrated individual skill to keep the ball in play on the left flank before driving into the penalty area. His low cross was converted by Marmoush. Just two minutes later, the same duo combined again, with Marmoush finishing another low cross from Semenyo.
The match, played at the Seoul World Cup Stadium, drew a crowd of over 50,000 spectators. A notable moment for the home crowd was the introduction of Atletico’s South Korea international, Lee Kang-in, in the second half. Lee Kang-in had an opportunity to level the score at 2-2 but his first-time effort went wide of the post.
Second-half dominance and tactical approach
City’s tactical approach under manager Enzo Maresca was evident throughout the game, particularly with an emphasis on utilising width. Players like Savinho and Semenyo were instructed to attack the touchlines and challenge their markers. Savinho, in the early stages, created a curling effort that narrowly missed the goal.
Despite City’s control for much of the game, Atletico managed to take the lead against the run of play. The partial clearance of a corner allowed Hjulmand to find Dominguez, who showed composure to score. City’s defence, which included Vitor Reis, had otherwise appeared solid.
Atletico Madrid struggled to contain City’s sustained pressure, especially after the hour mark when wholesale changes were made. Atletico introduced nine substitutions in the 64th minute, including Lee Kang-in, but were unable to regain control of the match. Before these changes, goalkeeper Jan Oblak was active, notably saving a shot from Tijjani Reijnders after Dani Martinez had lost possession.
Atletico also had moments of their own, with Obed Vargas forcing a save from Donnarumma after Koke dispossessed Kovacic. Lee Kang-in later had another chance to equalise but sent his shot over the crossbar. As the game progressed, City continued to create scoring opportunities, with Divin Mubama missing a one-on-one chance against substitute goalkeeper Salvi Esquivel.
Concluding the Asian tour
The victory was sealed in injury time by Rayan Ait-Nouri, who scored City’s third goal. Mubama provided the assist, delivering a pass to Ait-Nouri, who then struck the ball low into the bottom corner of the net. This goal provided a fitting end to a performance that highlighted City’s superiority in possession and chance creation.
This match marked City’s third and final game in Asia during their pre-season tour. Earlier in the tour, City drew 1-1 with Inter Milan in Hong Kong on 1 August, before losing 3-1 on penalties. They then defeated a K League All-Stars team 3-1 in Seoul on Wednesday.
Several City players, including Erling Haaland, Rodri, Rayan Cherki, Jeremy Doku, Marc Guehi, Nico O’Reilly, and Elliot Anderson, did not travel to Asia, having played in the later stages of the World Cup. City’s next fixture is scheduled for Sunday, 16 August, when they will face reigning Premier League champions Arsenal in the Community Shield at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff.
Source: bbc.com
