Man City wins first preseason match before Community Shield

In a thrilling encounter during their Asia tour, treble-winners Manchester City showcased their attacking prowess in a spectacular comeback victory against Yokohama F. Marinos, ending the match with a 5-3 scoreline. The highlight of the game was the sensational performance of Erling Haaland, who netted twice, guiding his team to a memorable win. The friendly match, held in Tokyo, was graced by the presence of skipper-for-the-day Kyle Walker, despite the swirling transfer rumors linking him with a potential move to Bayern Munich.

Flying start for Yokohama F. Marinos

The Japanese title holders, Yokohama F. Marinos, were off to a flying start, taking a 2-0 lead with goals from Anderson Lopes and Ken Matsubara. However, Manchester City showed their character and resilience by quickly bouncing back into the game. City's fightback began with a goal from John Stones, who found the back of the net from just inside the box, after a clever cutback from Julian Alvarez. Alvarez himself joined the scoring spree with a quickfire second goal, capitalizing on a poor pass from the F. Marinos' defense.

Changes

As both teams headed into the break, Pep Guardiola made an important decision, changing all 10 outfield players to give everyone a chance to shine. This move by the manager proved to be a turning point, as the second half saw Manchester City take control of the game. The unstoppable Erling Haaland, who is also a transfer target for Bayern Munich, made his presence felt within minutes of the restart. The Norwegian striker showcased his clinical finishing skills, scoring on the turn to make it 3-2 in City's favor. Rodri, the hero of the Champions League final, added a fourth goal with a well-crafted curling shot.

End game

Yokohama F. Marinos did not back down, as Kenta Inoue pulled one back late in the match, but Haaland was not done yet. The talented forward tapped in another goal from Joao Cancelo's cross, restoring City's two-goal advantage and completing his brace in style. The match saw Mateo Kovacic make his debut appearance for Manchester City against their sister club. The Croatian midfielder, along with James McAtee and Kalvin Phillips, formed a formidable starting midfield.

Community Shield

This match was the first preseason game for Manchester City. The first big match, with a trophy at stake, is the Community Shield match against Arsenal. Community Shield tickets for this big clash at Wembley are still available!