Author: Barkha Roy
In their first friendly of the Asian tour in Tokyo, Manchester City pulled off a thrilling comeback, led by captain Kyle Walker, to secure a 5-3 victory over Yokohama F. Marinos. Initially, the J1 League champions took a 2-0 lead with goals from Anderson Lopes and Ken Matsubara, putting City at a disadvantage.
The tide began to turn for the three-time champions when John Stones found the back of the net from inside the area after a cut-back from captain Kyle Walker. Julian Alvarez quickly scored the second goal, taking advantage of a poor pass from F. Marinos. The first half ended with City drawing 2-2.
Pep Guardiola made significant changes at half-time, replacing all 10 players on the pitch, and the new team took control of the game. Erling Haaland, who was introduced in the second half, wasted no time in making an impact, scoring seven minutes after the restart to put City 3-2 ahead. The winner of the Champions League final, Rodri, increased the lead by scoring the fourth goal.
F. O. Marinos refused to settle and managed to cash in with Kenta Inoue at the end. However, Haaland wasn’t finished yet, scoring another goal after João Cancelo’s cross to restore City’s two-goal lead.
The match served as Mateo Kovacic’s first appearance for City, playing alongside James McAtee and Kalvin Phillips in the starting midfield. Walker’s inclusion in the game also drew attention due to ongoing transfer rumors linking him to Bayern Munich. Personal talks between the two clubs are expected to take place in Japan, with Bayern reportedly willing to pay 13 million pounds for the defender.
Despite the thrilling victory, Pep Guardiola acknowledged that there were areas for improvement, considering the team’s limited preparation time. However, he expressed satisfaction with the fitness of Erling Haaland, who scored two goals and looked in better shape than last season.
Manchester City’s journey in Japan continues when they face Bayern Munich again at the Japan National Stadium on Wednesday. This encounter will mark the first meeting since City’s victory over the Bundesliga champions in the quarter-finals of last season’s Champions League.