Urawa Red Diamonds 0-3 Manchester City: Champions League holders book FIFA Club World Final spot
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Updated 20/12/2023 at 07:57 GMT
Manchester City advanced to the FIFA Club World Cup final at the very first time of asking following a 3-0 semi-final win over Japan's Urawa Red Diamonds. City needed an own goal from Marius Hoibraten on the stroke of half time to get going but second half goals from Mateo Kovacic and Bernardo Silva sealed a straightforward win. They now face Brazilian side Fluminense in Friday's final.
Mateo Kovacic of Manchester City celebrates his goal during FIFA Club World Cup Semi final match between Urawa Reds and Manchester City at King Abdullah Sports City on December 19, 2023 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Image credit: Getty Images
Manchester City eased to victory in their Club World Cup debut against Urawa Red Diamonds, as Mateo Kovacic, Bernardo Silva and an own-goal from Marius Hoibraten saw them advance to the final.
It wasn’t a blowout victory by any means, as the regimented Asian champions frustrated Man City for most of the first half, defending the edge of their penalty area with discipline and forcing their illustrious opponents to resort to long-range efforts.
They deserved to reach the break level but fell behind in stoppage time when Hoibraten turned Matheus Nunes’ low cross into his own net, and the Japanese side were out of ideas trying to fight back in the second-half.
Erling Haaland and Kevin de Bruyne watched on from the stands but it was still a strong squad named by Pep Guardiola with just four changes: Ruben Dias, Josko Gvardiol, Rico Lewis and Julian Alvarez all dropped to the bench after Saturday’s draw with Crystal Palace.
The Citizens aren’t in Premier League action until after Christmas and will face Fluminense in Friday’s Club World Cup final while Urawa’s season is over, the J1 League season is complete and they didn’t make it out of the AFC Champions League group stage.
Fluminense are a better team than the Red Devils but may not present Guardiola with as big a challenge if they attempt to play more positively from kick-off.
Urawa Reds were tough to break down but offered precious little in attack having scored just 42 league goals last season. Up front, Jose Kante had several opportunities as Man City’s accuracy was lacking on occasion in their own third, but Ederson had clearly learned from the trouble caused by Jean-Phillipe Mateta and the Eagles, and quickly closed down each chance.
Talking point: Persistence pays dividends for City
City owed a good slice of their half-time lead to fortune as they failed to create many clear-cut chances against a determined Urawa Reds side who defended deep but effectively against a star-studded Citizens attack.
Each player stuck to his assignment with Silva and Phil Foden afforded plenty of space in the wide areas but struggling to penetrate the box when attempting to play more directly.
Jack Grealish was the one exception, giving right-back Takahiro Sekine a tough night, but it was Matheus Nunes who created the opener, finding space behind the back four and sending in a cross that bamboozled Hoibraten, no City players were an immediate danger but he slid at full extension to put it past his own goalkeeper.
From there it was just a case of waiting for Urawa to stretch themselves then Man City taking advantage of the space, with the second and third goals both created by just a single pass cutting open the defence, and Guardiola was able to rotate players as the result was confirmed by the hour mark.
One of those substitutions was Oscar Bobb’s introduction and the Norwegian was the star of the show late on, causing havoc in Urawa’s box and unlucky not to end up with a goal contribution.
Player of the match: Bernardo Silva
This could’ve gone to any of Man City’s midfielders in truth, they stuck to their task well despite a frustrating start and just eased up the gears as Urawa tired and chased.
But Silva was the only one of the attacking quartet to finish with a goal, and he took it very well, giving himself a second on the ball before firing a shot that may very well have beaten the mightily impressive Shusaka Nishikawa without the deflection anyway.
Player ratings
Urawa Red Diamonds: Nishikawa 8, Sekine 6, Scholz 6, Holbraten 5, Akimoto 5, Ito 5, Iwao 6, Okubo 6, Yasui 5, Koizumi 7, Kante 5. Subs: Schalk 6, Ogiwara 5, Linssen 6, Nakajima 7, Shibato 6
Manchester City: Ederson 8, Walker 6, Stones 7, Akanji 5, Ake 6, Kovacic 7, Rodri 7, Silva 8, Nunes 7, Grealish 7, Foden 6. Subs: Gvardiol 6, Bobb 8, Alvarez 6, Gomez 6, Phillips 6
Match highlights
43’ - GOOD STOP: Urawa are keeping their discipline well and it pays dividends there. Mateo Kovacic (who bizarrely has been City's most attacking player) almost latched onto a through ball but Marius Hoibraten was back to defend with a sturdy sliding tackle that eliminates the danger.
45’ - OWN GOAL! URAWA REDS 0-1 MANCHESTER CITY (HOIBRATEN): Oh no not like that! It's desparately unlucky for Urawa who'd defended so well and deserved to be level at the break. But Nunes swings in a low cross and Hoibraten doesn't see that he's under no pressure, meeting the ball at full stretch but only directing it into his own net.
52’ - GOAL! URAWA REDS 0-2 MANCHESTER CITY (KOVACIC): Walker played a peach of a ball between the centre-backs and no-one had tracked Kovacic's run from deep, allowing the Croatian to approach the one-on-one untouched before he fired over a helpless Nishikawa.
59’ - GOAL! URAWA REDS 0-3 MANCHESTER CITY (SILVA): Poor Hoibraten can't catch a break! City burst forward with Nunes taking the ball on the left before cutting inside and forcing a superb reflex save from Nishikawa. Unfortunately it only bounces as far as Silva, who steadies himself before firing off Hoibraten's back and into the net.
64’ - HOW HASN'T HE SCORED? You know the joke about Arsenal always trying to walk it into the net? That was just Grealish, he drew Nishikawa out but took way too long trying to dribble round the beleagured keeper and was eventually shut down. He wants that one back!
67’ - URAWA ALMOST SCORE! Gvardiol - on in a host of changes for both sides - attempted a bit of a miracle ball across the box that was pounced on by Shoya Nakajima and Bryan Linssen, also new faces. He had half an opening but Ederson was quickly out and John Stones clears up from there.
83’ - URAWA CLOSE AGAIN! The ball has broken a couple of times for Urawa in the Man City box and they had another chance there, Shoya Nakajima took a touch but Ederson was out incredibly quickly to clear it with a slide-tackle.
Key stats
0 shots for Urawa Reds in the first half.
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