Man City v Urawa Reds LIVE: Result and reaction from Club World Cup as City cruise into final
Man City 3-0 Urawa Red Diamonds: Goals for Mateo Kovacic and Bernardo Silva, as well as an own goal, did the job in Saudi Arabia
Manchester City outclassed Urawa Red Diamonds in a 3-0 victory in the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium to set up a Club World Cup final showdown against Brazilian side Fluminense.
European champions City were frustrated by a well-organised Japanese side during the opening half but took the lead with an own goal by Marius Hoibraten in stoppage time.
Mateo Kovacic made it 2-0 in the 52nd minute and Bernardo Silva's deflected shot a few minutes later meant City could play the rest of the game in cruise control.
Pep Guardiola's City, who had won only three of their previous eight games in all competitions, are looking to become the fourth English club to win the title after Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea.
They will start as heavy favourites in Friday's final against Copa Libertadores champions Fluminense who on Monday beat Egypt's Al-Ahly 2-0.
Relive the action below
KICK-OFF! Man City 1-0 Urawa Reds
Back underway in Saudi Arabia. Hard to see Urawa getting back into this but you never know.
WATCH: Hoibraten own goal puts City ahead
Here’s how Man City went ahead as Marius Hoibraten turned Matheus Nunes’s cross into his own net. Harsh on the doughty Japanese side
HALF-TIME! Man City 1-0 Urawa Reds
HALF-TIME! Man City 1-0 Urawa Reds
Right on the stroke of half-time, just as they appeared to have reached the break level, the reds fall behind. Relief for City and you’d fancy them to kick on from here.
GOAL! Man City 1-0 Urawa Reds (Hoibraten own goal 45+1’) ⚽
Oh that’s unfortunate! Urawa don’t deserve that.
Nunes gets down the right and puts a low cross into the box that Hoibraten slides to try and defend but only sticks into his own net, past Nishikawa. Foden was lurking behind, ready to pounce, and the Norwegian felt he had to do something. Really unlucky.
Man City 0-0 Urawa Reds
45 mins: Man City may need to be aggressive in their set-up in the second half. It feels like Ake and Walker could definitely be further forward pushing Grealish and Nunes inside to give them more options.
Credit to Urawa Red Diamonds so far, they’ve been very disciplined in their low block and you’d still back City to break them down.
Man City 0-0 Urawa Reds
42 mins: Good defending by Hoibraten who stays with the bursting run of Kovacic to flick the ball out for a corner after some quickfire City passing on the edge of the box. Urawa have generally defended well so far and the sanctity of half-time is within sight now
Man City 0-0 Urawa Reds
38 mins: If it’s not clear by the way, Urawa have offered basically nothing going forward. A penalty shootout is their dream scenario.
Another relatively comfortable save for Nishikawa who falls forward to gather the ball. Kevin de Bruyne then appears on the big screen and gets huge cheers that reverberate around the stadium. Legend.
He could play in Friday’s final (should City get there), otherwise he’s expected to be back from injury for the festive Premier League fixtures. Would be huge for City.
SAVE! Man City 0-0 Urawa Reds
36 mins: Another City corner as they up the ante. Short-corner routine, worked to Foden on the edge of the box who fizzes a left-footed effort to the bottom corner but Nishikawa again down well to his right to parry it wide with both hands. Solid save.
SAVE! Man City 0-0 Urawa Reds
32 mins: Decent stop by Nishikawa, who has to be alert and stay big to tip Nunes’s shot over the bar as the Portuguese cuts in from the right channel and wraps his foot around a powerful shot. That’s the closest City have come. The corner is wasted though as Grealish can’t clear the first man.
Foden and Silva switching who is playing the false 9 position at the moment.
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