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, turning the tide after City had initially fallen behind. This fixture marked City’s third and final game of their pre-season tour in Asia.
Atletico Madrid took the lead just before half-time. A corner from Koke was not fully cleared by City’s defence, allowing Morten Hjulmand to set up Jorge Dominguez. The 16-year-old Dominguez then scored past goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.
City’s equaliser came in the 57th minute. Antoine Semenyo played a crucial role, sliding to keep the ball in play before advancing into the penalty area on the left flank. His low cross was converted by Marmoush. Just two minutes later, the duo combined again, with Marmoush finishing another low cross from Semenyo from the left side of the box.
The crowd at the Seoul World Cup Stadium, which exceeded 50,000, gave a significant cheer for the introduction of Atletico’s South Korea international, Lee Kang-in, in the second half. Lee had an opportunity to level the score at 2-2 but his first-time effort went wide of the post.
Second-half turnaround and tactical approach
Enzo Maresca’s tactical approach for Manchester City was evident throughout the match, particularly in the second half. The team displayed a focus on utilising width, with players like Semenyo and Savinho instructed to hug the touchlines and challenge their markers. Semenyo’s performance was particularly impactful, as he consistently troubled Atletico’s full-backs with his speed and strength on the left flank, proving to be a decisive factor in the game.
Despite City’s overall dominance in possession and chance creation, they conceded against the run of play. The goal came from a partially cleared corner, which Hjulmand kept alive before finding Dominguez. This moment highlighted a rare lapse in concentration for City’s defence, which otherwise appeared solid, with Vitor Reis making a notable impression.
Atletico Madrid struggled to contain City’s sustained pressure, especially after the 64th minute when they made nine substitutions, including the entry of Lee Kang-in. Before these changes, goalkeeper Jan Oblak was kept busy, notably saving a shot from Tijjani Reijnders early in the game after Dani Martinez had lost possession. Obed Vargas also created a chance for Atletico, forcing a save from Donnarumma after Koke dispossessed Kovacic.
Concluding the Asian tour
The victory was sealed in injury time by Rayan Ait-Nouri, who scored City’s third goal. Divin Mubama provided the assist with a through ball, which Ait-Nouri struck low and hard into the bottom corner of the net. This goal came shortly after Mubama had missed a one-on-one opportunity against substitute goalkeeper Salvi Esquivel.
This result concludes Manchester City’s pre-season tour of Asia. Prior to this match, City had drawn 1-1 with Inter Milan in Hong Kong on 1 August, a match they subsequently lost 3-1 on penalties. They also secured a 3-1 victory against a K League All-Stars team in Seoul on Wednesday. Several key players, including Erling Haaland, Rodri, Rayan Cherki, Jeremy Doku, Marc Guehi, Nico O’Reilly, and Elliot Anderson, did not travel to Asia as they had participated in the later stages of the World Cup.
City’s next match is scheduled for Sunday, 16 August, where they will face reigning Premier League champions Arsenal in the Community Shield at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff.
Source: bbc.co.uk
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