Phil Foden finally found the back of the net after five long months, helping the Cityzens kick off their Club World Cup journey with a solid 2-0 victory in Philadelphia.
It was a nice return to form for Foden as Manchester City cruised through their first match in the tournament. He not only scored but also assisted in this comfortable win against Wydad Casablanca on Wednesday.
Now, Foden had a tough time last season — like, really tough. Mental struggles really affected his game. But he bounced back in style, netting the fastest goal of the tournament just two minutes in. He capitalized on a mishap from Wydad's keeper, Mehdi Benabid, who didn’t quite get the punch right.
Honestly, Foden could've scored again shortly after, but hey, he made up for it! He delivered a perfect corner that Jeremy Doku volleyed home just before halftime, doubling the lead for Pep Guardiola's squad.
Let’s take a quick look at how the players fared:
Rico Lewis (4/10): Had a rough moment when Moufid got one over him, creating a decent chance for Wydad. He did spend a lot of time in midfield, helping City control the game, but got sent off, which was a bit unfortunate.
Vitor Reis (5/10): A bit of a mixed bag. He totally misjudged a bouncing ball, which led to a chance for Wydad after being caught off guard by Thembinkosi Lorch. Lucky for him, Lorch stumbled before he could set up Mailula. He also sent a header from a corner way over the bar.
Nathan Ake (7/10): Looked fit and sharp after spending most of last season on the sidelines. He kickstarted the first goal and was so close to scoring himself. Plus, he held his ground defensively throughout the match.
Phil Foden (7/10): Looks like he’s getting back to his best. Scoring his first goal since January was a big deal, and that corner kick he took? Perfect setup for Doku's goal. He could've snagged a second but, you know, sometimes that happens—Benabid made a good save.
Savinho (6/10): Did what we’ve come to expect from him. His quick footwork created a lot of space, and his cross was instrumental in the opening goal, although he had some help from Benabid. He did fade a bit in the second half but stayed on until added time.
As for Wydad’s keeper, unfortunately for him, there was nothing he could do to stop City’s second goal just before the break. Doku found himself at the back post, tapping in after getting in front of his marker to meet Foden’s corner.
Doku almost added another early in the second half after he picked the pocket of the opposing team deep in their half. But hey, credit to Benabid for pulling off a great save in that one-on-one situation.
City was firmly on track for those three points, but Guardiola wasn’t about to take his foot off the gas. He brought in Oscar Bobb, Rodri, and Erling Haaland just after the hour mark to keep the pressure on.
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