Man City Rally to Beat Atletico 3-1 in Final Pre-Season Friendly
SingTao · 2 SOURCESabout 3 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
Manchester City completed their pre-season preparations with a 3-1 comeback victory over Atletico Madrid in Seoul, South Korea, giving new manager Enzo Maresca a positive send-off before competitive action begins . The Premier League champions fell behind to a first-half strike from 16-year-old Atletico prospect Jorge Dominguez but turned the match around after the interval through two quick-fire goals from Erling Haaland, both assisted by Savinho, before Phil Foden added a late third . The result made City the only winning team among four Premier League sides in action, with Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea all failing to secure victories in their respective friendlies .
Key Points
- City trailed 1-0 at halftime after Atletico's 16-year-old Jorge Dominguez scored in the 43rd minute at Seoul World Cup Stadium .
- Savinho provided two assists in two minutes early in the second half, first with a skillful recovery and cross from the left flank for Haaland's equaliser in the 57th minute .
- The Brazilian winger repeated the supply line in the 59th minute, allowing Haaland to head City into a 2-1 lead with his second goal .
- Phil Foden sealed the victory in the 90th minute, making it 3-1 and ensuring City ended pre-season on a high .
- Maresca highlighted the importance of the 15-day training camp for building relationships and implementing new ideas with and without the ball .
Why It Matters
The victory offers Maresca momentum heading into his first competitive fixture, though the Italian's immediate priority remains avoiding injuries with the Community Shield against Arsenal just days away . For Hong Kong viewers following the Premier League's growing Asian outreach, City's Seoul fixture forms part of a broader trend of elite English clubs staging summer matches across the continent, with broadcast accessibility and kick-off times directly affecting local fan engagement .
The victory offers Maresca momentum heading into his first competitive fixture, though the Italian's immediate priority remains avoiding injuries with the Community Shield against Arsenal just days away . For Hong Kong viewers following the Premier League's growing Asian outreach, City's Seoul fixture forms part of a broader trend of elite English clubs staging summer matches across the continent, with broadcast accessibility and kick-off times directly affecting local fan engagement .