Manchester City defeated Atletico Madrid 3-1 in a preseason friendly in Seoul, with Croatian internationals Joško Gvardiol and Mateo Kovačić again starting the match.
Manchester City secured another victory on their Asian tour, beating Atletico Madrid 3-1 at the World Cup Stadium in Seoul. Enzo Maresca's side came from behind to win in the second half, with Omar Marmoush scoring twice and Antoine Semenyo providing two assists.
Croatian internationals Joško Gvardiol and Mateo Kovačić remain integral to Maresca's plans. Gvardiol played the full match at left-back, while Kovačić, operating as the deepest midfielder, spent 61 minutes on the pitch before being substituted. For Kovačić, this was another opportunity to prove himself in the heart of midfield, where he combined well with Tijjanni Reijnders, who also impressed.
Atletico took the lead in the 43rd minute when Jorge Dominguez, a 16-year-old talent, capitalized on a rebound from a corner and poked the ball into the net. However, that goal came against the run of play, as City had created several clear chances in the first half. Gvardiol, for instance, missed a near-impossible chance from a few meters out in the 19th minute following a corner, and Savinho almost scored from distance in the 24th minute.
The comeback came within just two minutes. First, Semenyo, in the 57th minute, brilliantly kept the ball in play with a sliding challenge on the touchline, then beat his marker and crossed for Marmoush, who leveled from close range. Two minutes later, Semenyo repeated the scenario, this time after a pass from Gvardiol, finding the Egyptian striker at the penalty spot for another easy finish.
Atletico made nine substitutions in the 64th minute, including a debut for South Korean Lee Kang-in, which changed the tempo of the match. City, however, managed to confirm a deserved victory by the end of the game. In stoppage time, Rayan Ait-Nouri first missed a one-on-one chance, but in the 90th minute, after an assist from Divin Mubama, he scored with a precise shot into the bottom corner to make it 3-1.
This was Manchester City's third preseason match on their Asian tour. They previously drew 1-1 with Inter Milan in Hong Kong on August 1, losing 3-1 on penalties, and beat the K-League All Stars 3-1 on August 5. The next challenge for Maresca's side is the Community Shield, scheduled for August 16 in Cardiff, where they will face Arsenal. It will be the Italian coach's first competitive match in charge of the Citizens following Pep Guardiola's departure from the Etihad.
