Manchester City overcame their recent Premier League struggles with a commanding 3-0 victory against Urawa Reds, securing a spot in the Club World Cup final. Despite the absence of Erling Haaland, City dominated the match, with Marius Hoibraten’s own goal, followed by strikes from Mateo Kovacic and Bernardo Silva. The win sets up a final showdown with South American champions Fluminense in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
City’s recent Premier League form, with only one win in their last six matches, didn’t hinder their performance in the Club World Cup. Even without key players like Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne, City controlled the game against Urawa Reds. Haaland, recovering from a foot injury, remained on the sidelines, but his presence was acknowledged with cheers as he waved to the crowd on the big screens.
De Bruyne, who recently returned to training after a four-month hamstring injury layoff, was also absent. Despite missing these key figures, City maintained over 80 percent possession in the first half, although they initially lacked penetration and punch.
Urawa Reds, despite losing six of their last 10 games, kept City at bay until a self-inflicted error just before halftime. City manager Pep Guardiola surprised many by leaving Julian Alvarez on the bench, opting for a starting lineup without a natural striker.
It took City 30 minutes to create a clear goal-scoring opportunity, with Matheus Nunes testing Urawa Reds’ goalkeeper, Shusaku Nishikawa. The breakthrough came in first-half stoppage time, with City benefiting from a stroke of fortune as they opened the scoring.
City’s comfortable victory against Urawa Reds now positions them for an exciting final clash with Fluminense as they seek to add the Club World Cup to their list of achievements.
