Manchester City launched their FIFA Club World Cup campaign with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Moroccan side Wydad AC at Lincoln Financial Field. First-half goals from Phil Foden and Jérémy Doku ensured a winning start for Pep Guardiola's side, though a late red card for Rico Lewis added a sour note to an otherwise solid performance.
City wasted no time asserting their authority, with Foden scoring the fastest goal in the tournament’s history after just one minute and 53 seconds. The move began with Nathan Aké feeding Doku down the left, whose cross found Savinho. Wydad goalkeeper Mehdi Benabid parried Savinho’s effort, but Foden was on hand to tuck away the rebound with clinical precision. The early strike set the tone for a dominant opening spell, as Pep Guardiola’s side controlled possession and pressed high in the sweltering Philadelphia heat.
1' GOAL! Foden opens the score under 2 minutes of gameplay! 🔥
— DAZN Football (@DAZNFootball) June 18, 2025
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Wydad, the 2021/22 CAF Champions League winners, showed resilience despite the early setback. Left-back Mohamed Moufid tested Ederson with an audacious 60-yard lob, while Thembinkosi Lorch and Cassius Mailula combined to create a chance that required a sharp save from the City goalkeeper. However, City’s new set-piece coach, James French, made his mark, with Nathan Aké nearly doubling the lead from a corner, his header whistling just wide.
As the first half drew to a close, City struck again to cement their dominance. Foden turned provider, delivering a pinpoint corner that caught Wydad’s defense napping. Doku, peeling away at the back post, stretched to volley home acrobatically, doubling City’s lead three minutes before the break. The Belgian winger was a constant menace, tormenting Wydad’s right-back and nearly adding a third early in the second half, only to be denied by a fine save from Benabid.
41' ⚽ GOAL! Doku is free in the box to slot that corner kick in for @ManCity. The Blues are 2-0 up!
— DAZN Football (@DAZNFootball) June 18, 2025
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The second half saw City shift into cruise control, with Guardiola using the opportunity to give minutes to key players returning from injury. Rodri, making his first appearance since a serious knee injury in September, came off the bench but showed signs of rust, misplacing a pass to ironic cheers from the vocal Wydad supporters. Erling Haaland, also introduced as a substitute, spurned a golden opportunity to make it 3-0, firing straight at Benabid in a one-on-one.
The match appeared to be petering out when a controversial moment in the 88th minute sparked debate. Rico Lewis, challenging for a loose ball with Wydad’s Samuel Obeng, won the ball cleanly but caught the forward’s face with his follow-through. Referee Ramon Abatti brandished a straight red card, a decision upheld by VAR despite protests from Lewis and Guardiola. The City boss later called the call “unnecessary,” arguing that Lewis had no intent to harm Obeng. The dismissal means Lewis will miss City’s next group game against Al Ain.
City’s summer signings, Tijjani Reijnders and Rayan Cherki, made their competitive debuts, offering glimpses of their potential. Reijnders, deployed at the base of midfield, completed 68 of 74 passes and dictated play with composure, earning praise from Guardiola and teammate Aké. Cherki, while less influential, showed flashes of creativity, though he struggled to find rhythm in his new surroundings. Both players signal a bright future for a City side looking to refresh their squad after a disappointing 2024/25 Premier League campaign.
Speaking to Channel 5 post-match, Guardiola expressed satisfaction with the result but acknowledged areas for improvement. “The first game in the group stages is always the tricky one,” he said. “We learn from here, and the second one will be better.” On Lewis’s red card, he added, “Rico touches the ball. He never had any intention to do it.” The Spaniard also hailed Foden, named the “Superior Player of the Match,” saying, “He’ll be very important, another role, we have a lot of No 10s.”
