By ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: 23:09 EDT, 22 June 2025 | Updated: 23:09 EDT, 22 June 2025
ATLANTA (AP) - Ilkay Gündogan had a pair of goals, Erling Haaland scored on a penalty and Manchester City locked up its spot in the knockout round of the Club World Cup with a 5-0 rout of Al Ain on Sunday night.
Claudio Echeverri, Oscar Bobb and Rayan Cherki also scored for City, which is trying to put an encouraging capper on a disappointing season.
The English powerhouse finished third in the Premier League after four straight championships and went down to Real Madrid in the knockout playoff of the UEFA Champions League.
With an entirely new lineup after a 2-0 win over Morocco´s Wydad in the opening group game, Man City produced a dominating performance in Atlanta against an overmatched club from the United Arab Emirates.
The time of possession was a staggering 74% in favor of the English side, which outshot Al Ain 21-5.
Haaland buried the penalty for his 32nd goal of the season across all competitions after a video review found that Rami Rabia took down City's Manuel Akanji in the area on a corner kick. Cherki, one of City's high-profile signings, scored his first goal for his new club in the waning minutes.
Manchester City's lkay Gundogan, right, scores his side's fourth goal against Al Ain during the Club World Cup Group G soccer match between Manchester City and Al Ain in Atlanta, Sunday, June 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
The expected result sent Man City and Italian club Juventus (both 2-0-0) to the Round of 16 from Group G. Al Ain has been blown out twice, losing 5-0 to Juventus in its opener.
Manchester City is the reigning club champion, winning the title in 2023 under the former seven-team format.
After Gündogan flicked in an early goal over the head of keeper Khalid Eisa, Echeverri assured this would be an easy night for City in the 27th minute. With a free kick from just outside the area, he curled a shot over the wall that left Eisa frozen on one knee while the ball ripped the back of the net.
Man City will face Juventus on Thursday in Orlando to determine which team claims the top spot in the group. Then the real work begins for both clubs.
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Manchester City's Erling Haaland (9) celebrates after scoring his side's third goal against Al Ain during the Club World Cup Group G soccer match between Manchester City and Al Ain in Atlanta, Sunday, June 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Manchester City's Erling Haaland, centre, is congratulated by teammates after scoring his team's third goal during the Club World Cup Group G soccer match between Manchester City and Al Ain in Atlanta, Sunday, June 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
Al Ain's Nassim Chadli reacts during the Club World Cup Group G soccer match between Manchester City and Al Ain in Atlanta, Sunday, June 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
Manchester City's Rayan Ait-Nouri, top, heads a ball next to Al Ain's Nassim Chadli during the Club World Cup Group G soccer match between Manchester City and Al Ain in Atlanta, Sunday, June 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)