24/06/2025

Read

iPaper at Malaysian Paper

www.thesun.my Free access to iPaper PDF Download

app from the App Store or Google Play TM . Malaysian Paper or download

SCAN ME

SCAN ME

TUESDAY | JUNE 24, 2025

Malaysian Paper

Manchester City’s Claudio Echeverri (2nd right) scores their second goal from a freekick. – REUTERSPIC

Only six? Guardiola wanted more goals after City demolish Al Ain to reach Club World Cup last 16 M ANCHESTER CITY booked their place in the Club World Cup last 16 with an emphatic 6-0 rout of Al Ain in Atlanta yesterday. eve of the game his squad needed trimming and that was reflected in his decision to rotate his entire starting line-up from the opening win over Wydad Casablanca. With the Mercedes-Benz Stadium mostly full apart from the top ring of seats, fans began sending a Mexican wave around the ground. It came to a standstill when Bernardo Silva’s corner was headed against the post by Josko Gvardiol, before starting back up.

before rolling in the fifth at the near post before Cherki sealed the win. Signed from Lyon ahead of the tournament, the French attacking midfielder had a quiet debut against Wydad but powered home from the edge of the box late on in his second appearance. City face Juventus in Orlando on Friday in a shootout to decide who will finish top of the group and potentially avoid a last-16 clash against Spanish giants Real Madrid. With one more goal they would have moved ahead of Juve on goals scored and had a slight advantage, but City ran out of time. “Unfortunately we started the second half a bit slow, so there was not much time at the end to score the last goal to be ahead of Juve ahead of the last group-stage game,” Gundogan told DAZN . “That’s maybe the slightly disappointing part of the night, but the result speaks for itself and it was fully deserved.” – AFP “So at the end, he had the courage, the quality. When you practise, you know, it’s like golf or like basketball, as much you practise free shots, the more chances you have.” Echeverri, nicknamed the “Little Devil”, joined from Argentine giants River Plate and made his City debut in May, in the FA Cup final defeat by Crystal Palace. Guardiola took him off at halftime for Phil Foden, later explaining the playmaker had suffered a small knock. “It was a fantastic goal, he’s an incredible player in the small spaces,” continued the City coach. “Unfortunately, he could not continue to halftime (because of) a problem with the ankle, but yeah, he was truly good in the first minutes, and … he made a fantastic goal, the freekick was really, really, really good.” – AFP

In came superstar striker Haaland, new arrival Rayan Ait-Nouri, and exciting prospect Echeverri, among others. Serbian coach Vladimir Ivic’s Al Ain were crushed 5-0 by Juventus in their opening fixture and the 10-time Premier League champions offered another unforgiving challenge. After a disjointed opening, City took the lead in the ninth minute in fortuitous fashion, with Gundogan’s chip towards Haaland at the back post floating into the net of its own accord. Al Ain had a good chance to pull level when the dawdling Nico Gonzalez had his pocket picked and the UAE side sprang forward, but

In a match dubbed the “Abu derby”, with City owner and United Arab Emirates vice-president Sheikh Mansour’s side facing off against that of his elder sibling, Sheikh Mohamed, president of Al Ain and also the country, the Premier League side showed no brotherly love. Ilkay Gundogan put City ahead before starlet Claudio Echeverri netted his first goal for the club with a freekick and Erland Haaland slotted in the third with a penalty. In the second half Gundogan struck again, Oscar Bobb rolled in the fifth and Rayan Cherki grabbed his first City goal as they pulled level with Juventus on six points at the top of Group G. The result also confirmed Juve’s place in the next round. “Now we have to

Haaland rolled a shot narrowly wide when he might have scored the third after a one-two with Silva sent him galloping through. The Norwegian hitman eventually got his goal in first half stoppage time after Manuel Akanji was hauled to the ground by Ramy Rabia and City were awarded a penalty following a VAR review. Haaland sent Eisa the wrong way with a low spot-kick for his first goal of the tournament. The Norwegian should have scored again after the hour mark but Eisa denied him with a good double save. Instead it was Gundogan who got his second, with a well-taken dinked finish. Substitute Oscar Bobb showed fleet footwork MANCHESTER CITY coach Pep Guardiola praised teenage attacking midfielder Claudio Echeverri’s dedication on the training ground after he netted a fine freekick in the Club World Cup win over Al Ain yesterday. On his first start for the club Echeverri notched his first goal, with the youngster taking charge of a dead-ball situation on the edge of the box and whipping his effort around the wall into the top corner. “I want to tell you something, so since he arrived (in January), the (last) three or four months with the lads, at the end of the training session, he was practising the freekicks alone, with the ‘keeper, with the wall,” Guardiola told reporters. “The others, they didn’t practise, he was practising and practising, and work pays off.

Nassim Chadli’s effort was superbly tipped wide by Stefan Ortega. City’s 19-year-old Argentine attacker Echeverri, on his first start for the club, doubled their lead after 27 minutes with a perfect

see whether we’ll be first or second in the group,” said City coach Pep Guardiola. “We played a little bit better than the first game, especially in the second half.” Guardiola said on the

City boss hails ‘Little Devil’

freekick that swerved around the outside of the wall and left goalkeeper Khalid Eisa rooted to the spot.

Manchester City’s Claudio Echeverri (right) celebrates with Bernardo Silva after scoring his team’s second goal. – AFPPIC

theSun is published and printed by Sun Media Corporation Sdn Bhd (221220-K) of Lot 6, Jalan 51/217, 46050 Petaling Jaya, Selangor. Tel: 03-7784 6688 • Tel (Editorial): 03-7784 6688 Fax: 03-7785 2625 Email: newsdesk@thesundaily.com • Tel (Advertising): 03-7784 8888 Email: advertise@thesundaily.com