Manchester City cruised into the knockout stage of the FIFA Club World Cup with a dominant 6-0 victory over Al Ain at Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Sunday, June 22, 2025. Ilkay Gundogan's brace spearheaded a rampant display from the Premier League champions, who showcased their attacking prowess and secured their place in the last 16 alongside Juventus from Group G.
The match, dubbed the "Abu Dhabi derby" due to the ownership links between the two clubs, was effectively decided early on. Gundogan opened the scoring in the 8th minute with what some described as a fortunate lob, although the German midfielder revealed it was a product of two ideas in his head. After a corner, Gundogan found himself with the ball and sought to either cross to the far post for Erling Haaland or attempt a shot. His delicate chip evaded everyone and nestled into the net, providing the perfect start for City.
Teenage sensation Claudio Echeverri, making his first start for the club, doubled the lead with a well-taken free-kick. Erling Haaland then converted a penalty on the stroke of half-time to make it 3-0, effectively ending the game as a contest. Despite City's dominance, Al Ain did have a couple of opportunities, with Stefan Ortega making a crucial save to deny Nassim Chadli.
In the second half, City continued their dominance. Gundogan grabbed his second goal in the 73rd minute, finishing off a neat move with a composed finish over Al Ain goalkeeper Khalid Eisa. Substitutes Oscar Bobb and Rayan Cherki added further gloss to the scoreline, with Cherki netting his first goal for the club.
The result ensured that both Manchester City and Juventus progressed to the knockout stages from Group G. City and Juventus will now face each other in Orlando on Thursday to determine who tops the group.
Pep Guardiola, who made 11 changes to the starting lineup from their opening win over Wydad Casablanca, expressed his satisfaction with the performance, stating that his team played "a little bit better than the first game, especially in the second half." He also alluded to the need to trim his squad, reflected in his team selection for the match.
Al Ain, having suffered a 5-0 defeat to Juventus in their opening match, exit the competition after conceding eleven goals in just two games.
