Ait-Nouri, Reijnders and Mubama score as City win in Seoul

Manchester City beat the K-League All Stars 3-1 at Seoul World Cup Stadium. Rayan Ait-Nouri, Tijjani Reijnders and Divin Mubama scored during the first half.

Kim Dae-Won supplied the home team’s goal shortly after Ait-Nouri opened the scoring. City then restored the lead and reached half-time with the final score already in place.

Ait-Nouri opened the scoring in extreme heat

The temperature was around 36 degrees Celsius at kick-off. City started with Gianluigi Donnarumma in goal and Ruben Dias as captain. Abdukodir Khusanov, Josko Gvardiol and Ait-Nouri joined Dias in the defensive group. Rico Lewis, Mateo Kovacic and Reijnders started in midfield. Antoine Semenyo and Phil Foden supported Mubama in attack. The lineup contained two changes from the earlier 1-1 draw with Inter.

Ait-Nouri scored after a cross from Reijnders reached him inside the area. The defender controlled the loose ball and finished the move. The goal arrived in the ninth minute. It gave City an early lead in the club’s second public friendly. It was also Ait-Nouri’s first goal of the tour.

Kim Dae-Won answered before City scored twice

The K-League All Stars equalised almost immediately. Kim Dae-Won received space outside the central group and drove his shot into the goal. City regained the lead through Reijnders. Semenyo used a backheel to move the ball into the midfielder’s path. Reijnders then completed the chance with a firm finish. Reijnders scored in the twentieth minute after assisting Ait-Nouri’s opener. Mubama added the third only three minutes later. The three City goals arrived inside fourteen minutes.

Goalkeeper Song Bum-Keun stopped Mubama’s first effort but could not hold it. Mubama reached the rebound and lifted the ball over him. All four goals therefore arrived before the interval. The home side had one goal between City’s first and second finishes. The sequence gave City a 3-1 lead at half-time. No later chance changed the final score.

Both benches used large groups after the interval

City named nineteen substitutes for the match. Marcus Bettinelli, Omar Marmoush, Savinho, Nico Gonzalez, Vitor Reis and Matheus Nunes were among the options. Max Alleyne, Jeremy Monga, Ryan McAidoo and Divine Mukasa also sat on the bench. The group gave Maresca replacements in every outfield area. Enzo Maresca used 22 players across the game. Several academy players received time after the break. The number of changes reduced the pace during the second half.

The K-League group also changed its goalkeeper and several outfield positions. Gu Seong-Yun replaced Song Bum-Keun and made several saves. The hosts struck the post during their attempt to reduce the deficit. City also created chances for another goal, but the score remained unchanged. The second half ended without a goal. The result was decided by the four finishes before half-time.

The result gave Maresca his first City win

The victory was Maresca’s first as Manchester City head coach. His opening public friendly had ended 1-1 against Inter in Hong Kong. Maresca praised the players for working through the heat. He said the effort mattered more than the friendly result. He also noted that some parts improved from the previous match. Around eight or nine senior players remained away after reaching the later World Cup rounds. They are due to rejoin the group in Manchester after the tour.

The Seoul match followed City’s 1-1 draw with Inter in Hong Kong. Mubama had also scored in that game. He therefore found the net in both opening tour fixtures. City stay at Seoul World Cup Stadium for the final tour match. Atletico Madrid provide the opposition on 9 August. The first Seoul fixture ended K-League All Stars 1, Manchester City 3. Ait-Nouri, Reijnders and Mubama scored for the visitors.

The starting teams mixed senior and emerging players

The K-League side started Song Bum-Keun, Kim Moon-Hwan, Yazan, Eo Jeong-Won and Lee Ki-Hyeok. Kim Bong-Soo and Lee Dong-Gyeong also began the match. Kim Dae-Won joined Mateus, Park Tae-Jun and Yago in the remaining positions. Lee Dong-Gyeong wore the captain’s armband for the selected Korean group. City’s captain was Ruben Dias. Donnarumma started behind a defence containing three other senior internationals. Mubama led the attack between Foden and Semenyo.

City used its bench heavily after half-time. The K-League side also changed most positions during the second period. The score remained 3-1 after those substitutions. City recorded its first win of the tour before the final meeting with Atletico Madrid.

City’s first-half goals involved four starters

Reijnders delivered the cross that led to Ait-Nouri’s opener. Kim Dae-Won answered for the Korean selection before City regained control of the score. Semenyo then used a backheel to release Reijnders. The midfielder finished the move after supplying the earlier cross. Mubama added the third after Song Bum-Keun stopped his first attempt.

City reached the interval two goals ahead. All four goals had arrived before the teams made their largest groups of substitutions. Neither side changed the score during the second half. Mubama had also scored against Inter in Hong Kong. His Seoul finish gave him a goal in each of City’s first two public friendlies under Maresca.