Juventus 2-5 Manchester City: Rodri stars on return to starting XI as Bianconeri humbled in Orlando

Yahoo

2 days ago

Manchester City were unrelenting on Thursday night as they put five goals past Juventus to top their Club World Cup group.
The two sides came into the match level on both points and goal difference, but with the knowledge that whoever finished atop the group would move on to a more friendly side of the knockout draw, likely to avoid the likes of Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich, and Real Madrid.
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City had cruised through the tournament until this point and today faced their first proper test, but swiftly reduced the 36-time Serie A champions to the level of their minnow groupmates Wydad AC and Al-Ain, closing out the group stages with a statement win marked by flashy, swaggering goals.
Juventus will progress despite the humbling defeat, but will likely be made to face Real Madrid in the round of 16, a task they will not look forward to after a demoralising result. City, on the other hand, look set to face RB Salzburg.
City finding a new top gear coincided with Rodri's return to the starting lineup, ten months after suffering an ACL injury which saw him miss much of last season. He produced the same kind of display which won him the Ballon d'Or, pulling the strings from midfield as he completed 65 minutes.
City wasted little time out of the blocks. Rayan Ait-Nouri and Jeremy Doku were both lively in the early stages, so it was little surprise that they would be the men to combine for the opener.
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The Algerian full-back slotted a sumptuous ball through to the winger, who cut inside and delivered a tidy curled finish into the far bottom corner, well beyond the reach of the 'keeper Michele Di Gregorio.
Their lead did not hold for long, though. An uncharacteristic misplaced pass from Ederson found only Teun Koopmeiners, who drove at goal and fired home ruthlessly from close range in what would prove to be the only clear-cut Juventus chance of the half.
Ederson was lucky, though, as his error was not the worst of the day, or even the worst of the half. City's lead was soon restored as Pierre Kalulu produced a baffling own goal.
Pierre Kalulu remonstrates after his own goal (Getty Images)
Matheus Nunes drove to the byline and squared a tame cross into the empty penalty area. Kalulu, under no pressure, turned the ball into his own net from the edge of the six-yard box.
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Omar Marmoush did what he could to extend City's lead before the break, forcing a fingertip save from Di Gregorio with a 30-yard piledriver, but the advantage remained at one as the whistle blew. That effort proved his final involvement, too, as he was replaced by Erling Haaland at halftime.
The talismanic Norwegian had an immediate impact. Tijjani Reijnders flashed down the right flank and pulled a cross across the box for Haaland to bundle home. It was not the prettiest finish of his career, but they all count.
City then produced their statement goals of the afternoon. After a rare Juventus chance, Ederson hoofed the ball long to Haaland, who fed Foden and Savinho to walk the ball over the line, immediately quashing any threat of a comeback.
Another punishing blow followed as Di Gregorio saved well from Haaland, only to see Savinho smash a screamer in off the bar from 25 yards.
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Kenan Yıldız then teed up Dušan Vlahović to pull one back, but, it was far too little, far too late.
Igor Tudor will be left to pick up the pieces and answer awkward questions after leaving some of his top players out of the starting 11. He must do so quickly, too, with the round of 16 only a few days away.
Pep Guardiola, though, is sitting pretty. He and City could not be in a more comfortable position as they head into the knockout phase as definite favourites.