(Sports Correspondent: Imran Sohail)
Manchester City Cruise Past Al-Ain 6-0 to Reach Club World Cup Knockouts
ATLANTA, Georgia — Manchester City delivered a commanding performance on Sunday, defeating UAE-based Al-Ain 6-0 in their Group G clash at the Club World Cup, joining Juventus in the knockout stage.
Ilkay Gundogan led the charge with a brilliant brace, scoring in the 9th and 73rd minutes, while rising star Claudio Etcheverri, prolific striker Erling Haaland, and substitutes Oscar Bobb and Rayan Cherki completed the emphatic win.
Both City and Juventus now sit level on goal difference, having secured back-to-back wins. The two sides will face off in Orlando on Thursday to determine the group winner heading into the Round of 16.
City Show Depth and Dominance
Manager Pep Guardiola showcased Manchester City’s squad depth by fielding a completely rotated XI. Gundogan quickly made an impact, curling in a chipped effort that caught Al-Ain goalkeeper Khalid Eisa off guard.
Al-Ain showed more fight than in their 5-0 loss to Juventus, with Nassim Chadli testing City keeper Stefan Ortega, who reacted well to keep it out.
City doubled their lead through Etcheverri, who bent a brilliant free kick around a poorly positioned wall in the 27th minute.
Haaland, though wasteful early on, found the back of the net from the penalty spot in first-half stoppage time after a VAR-reviewed foul on Manuel Akanji. It marked the Norwegian’s 32nd goal of the season.
Second Half Rout
City maintained their dominance after the break. Gundogan’s second came from a slick pass by Bernardo Silva, with the German midfielder coolly finishing over the keeper.
Oscar Bobb added a fifth in the 82nd minute with a precise left-footed shot inside the box, and new signing Rayan Cherki capped off the scoring with a clean finish from the edge of the area just before full time.
With this result, City and Juventus remain on course for a potential deep run in the tournament, and fans eagerly await their high-stakes clash on Thursday to determine the group’s top seed.
