Manchester City's big win showed the massive quality between the two sides
Manchester City's defender Josko Gvardiol eyes the ball next to Al Ain's midfielder Chadli Nassim during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 Group G football match at the Mercedes-Benz stadium in Atlanta on June 22, 2025.
Manchester City's defender Josko Gvardiol eyes the ball next to Al Ain's midfielder Chadli Nassim during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 Group G football match at the Mercedes-Benz stadium in Atlanta on June 22, 2025.
AFP
Without much of a surprise, Manchester City outclassed Al Ain 6-0 to book their place in the round of 16 of the Club World Cup.
For City, Ilkay Gundogan broke the deadlock with a perfectly weighted left-footed chip from the edge of the area, showcasing the composure that has made him such a vital player for Pep Guardiola's side. Later he admitted that he wasn't sure whether to cross or shoot there.
Remember, 34-year-old Gundogan's future at the club is still in doubt. The lead was doubled in spectacular fashion by young Argentine Claudio Echeverri, who announced himself on the global stage with a brilliant right-footed free-kick from 20 yards — only the second direct free-kick goal of the tournament after Lionel Messi's effort for Inter Miami against Porto.
By half-time, the contest was effectively over. Erling Haaland converted a stoppage-time penalty to make it 3-0, and while Al Ain showed admirable resistance in the opening stages of the second half, City's quality and depth eventually told.
Gundogan grabbed his second with another delicate chip on 73 minutes, before Oscar Bobb and Rayan Cherki added gloss to the scoreline with late strikes. For City fans, it was particularly heartening to see Bobb back among the goals after his injury setback last season — a reminder of the depth City possess when everyone's fit. For Rayan Cherki's goal, Al Ain's playing out from the back was so poor that keeper Eissa was at fault. However, without him making some crucial saves, the scoreline would have been even more painful for Al Ain.
Ait-Nouri shines on debut
True to his word, Guardiola completely rotated his starting XI from the midweek victory over Wydad, and experimented with a back three that saw former Wolves defender Ait-Nouri deployed as a left wing-back, with Matheus Nunes mirroring him on the opposite flank.
The Algerian was simply outstanding. His technical ability was on full display as City deliberately sought to switch play to the flanks, with diagonal passes finding him in space time and again. What made him so effective was his unpredictability — Al Ain's defenders never knew whether he'd drive down the touchline or cut inside, such is his two-footed ability.
The Instagram-worthy reel moment came in the second half when he produced an outrageous nutmeg while sprinting to keep the ball in play. Several of his marauding runs nearly resulted in assists, including one cross that would have found Haaland perfectly had the Norwegian anticipated the early delivery. For Haaland, Ait-Nouri's arrival should be cause for excitement as he can expect early crosses from the Algerian.
Looking ahead
For Al Ain, pride will be on the line when they face Wydad in their final group game. Having yet to find the net in the tournament, they'll be desperate to give their supporters something to cheer about before heading home.
The quality gap was evident throughout this encounter, but nights like these are what make the Club World Cup special — giving teams from different continents the chance to test themselves against Europe's elite. Al Ain may have been outclassed, but they've gained invaluable experience that will serve them well in future campaigns.