Man City 2-0 Wydad Casablanca: Foden gets a goal and assist as Cherki and Reijnders make their debuts
On a humid afternoon in Philadelphia, Manchester City opened their FIFA Club World Cup campaign with a composed 2-0 win over Wydad Casablanca. The result owed much to England man Phil Foden – how City have missed him – who impressed the modest but lively crowd at Lincoln Financial Field with a goal and assist.
Foden’s first came just two minutes in as he reacted quickest in the box to stroke home, after Wydad goalkeeper El Mehdi Benabid had poorly cleared Savinho’s cross. It was also his first goal in any competition since January.
The player has had a poor year since he won the Premier League Player of the Season award in 2024, saying at the end of City’s Premier League campaign in May that he had gone through poor physical and mental health and needed to take some time away from football to rest. The last month of rest must have done him a lot of good then.
Foden turned provider on the stroke of half-time with a corner that was finished acrobatically by Jeremy Doku. Wydad tried to claim a foul to have the goal ruled out but it was waved away by the referee.
City controlled large spells of the game without ever having to overexert themselves in the afternoon heat, although Wydad were competitive in moments, particularly through quick counters led by Nordin Amrabat, who was signed last month for this tournament.
But while the energy of the Moroccan champions was admirable, there were not many clear-cut chances. City goalkeeper Ederson was called into action once, beating away a low strike after teenage defender Vitor Reis had misjudged a long ball, but it ended up being only a small scare in an otherwise routine evening.
There was more good news for City fans as Rodri returned to the pitch for just the second time since his recovery from injury. The Spaniard replaced Mateo Kovacic just after the hour mark and showed flashes of his usual calm authority in midfield. Erling Haaland also made a brief cameo off the bench, drawing huge applause from the travelling support, although he was wasteful in front of goal when called upon.
The only blemish on City’s night came late on, when young full-back Rico Lewis was sent off following a VAR check. The 19-year-old’s boot made contact with Samuel Obeng’s face in a 50-50 challenge, and while the red card seemed harsh in real time, the video review upheld the decision.
New signings Rayan Cherki and Tijjani Reijnders also made their debuts. Cherki, in particular, caught the eye with a few silky touches in the final third, while Reijnders showed some promising energy and discipline in the middle of the park. Both looked at ease in Guardiola’s structure, which is a good sign for City ahead of the Premier League restart in August.
