July 21, 2022
Julian Alvarez, Stefan Ortega Moreno and Kalvin Phillips played their first game as Manchester City players as we returned to action with victory over Club America in the opening match of our pre-season tour of the United States.
Erling Haaland was an unused substitute as Kevin De Bruyne’s brace gave Pep Guardiola’s side a 2-1 win over the Mexican outfit at Houston’s NRG Stadium.
The Belgian opened the scoring with a trademark finish on the half hour mark, riding two challenges on a burst forward and curling a wonderful 18-yard effort into the far corner.
Club America levelled against the run of play 13 minutes later as striker Henry Martin latched onto a lofted ball over the top and checked inside Nathan Ake before squeezing the ball between Ortega Moreno’s legs.
De Bruyne sealed the win on the stroke of half-time, ghosting in behind the opposition defence to collect Riyad Mahrez’s perfectly weighted through ball and firing underneath Oscar Jimenez.
The tourists were good value for the victory and might have won by a greater margin had Jack Grealish and Bernardo Silva converted from promising positions.
It began as a fiery and entertaining contest in Texas, where Alvarez and Ortega Moreno were both handed starts as Guardiola named a strong XI and the Catalan sprung his first tactical surprise of 2022/23 when Phillips was introduced as a centre-back at half-time.
The England international was one of seven changes in the second period, with 17-year-old Rico Lewis also coming on for his maiden senior appearance and the number of alterations from both sides saw the game peter out in the closing stages.
City, however, will have no complaints after scoring two fine goals in a competitive friendly which provided a valuable workout ahead of the new campaign.
A FEISTY FRIENDLY
If pre-season is all about preparing players for the demanding, physical rigours of the Premier League, then the opening game of our US tour delivered.
In truth, Club America rarely threatened City, but their committed approach certainly provided us with something to think about and particularly so in the first half.
A mistimed tackle on Jack Grealish breathed life into the game, sparking the 15 minute period which produced all three goals, though it could have been more.
A deflection took Joao Cancelo's daisy cutter inches wide of the left post, whilst Bernardo Silva dragged wide on the angle moments after Martin's equaliser.
Alvaro Fidalgo had already tested Ortega Moreno from distance, but it proved to be a rare occasion as the Mexican's attempted to thwart City's attack with their physical approach.
Grealish was the target of a number of robust challenges and was twice left frustrated as the referee turned away what he felt were certain penalties.
It was a lively performance from our No.10, who was full of running down the left flank and he could have got himself on the scoresheet only for the chest of Jimenez to deny him from point-blank range.
That was the
By Man City
