Manchester City qualified for the Club World Cup knockout stage from Group G with Juventus after Ilkay Gundogan scored twice in a 6-0 win over Al-Ain on Sunday. German midfielder scored in the 9th and 73rd minutes, while Argentine teenager Claudio Etcheverri hit a great free kick and Erling Haaland scored a penalty before halftime.
Substitutes Oscar Bobb and Rayan Cherki scored late goals to tie City on goal difference with Juventus, who beat Wydad Casablanca 4-1. City and Juventus will play their final group game in Orlando on Thursday to determine who wins Group G and progresses to the Round of 16.
“A really good performance,” Gundogan stated. “I think we had moments in the first and second halves.
“I think the result speaks for itself, and in the end, fully deserved.”
Gundogan opened the scoring with a floating attempt that drifted over Al-Ain goalkeeper Khalid Eisa after manager Pep Guardiola rotated his entire starting XI. Al-Ain were more aggressive than in their 5-0 loss to Juventus, with winger Nassim Chadli nearly equalizing in the 15th minute but being denied by Stefan Ortega Moreno.
Etcheverri’s 27th-minute free-kick around a poorly-positioned wall beat Eisa at his near post to double City’s lead in his maiden appearance. After two missed chances, Haaland scored in first-half stoppage time.
Ramy Rabia was caught bringing Manuel Akanji down in the box during a corner, and Haaland converted the penalty for his 32nd goal of the season, sending Eisa the wrong way. City continued to assault in the second half. Eisa saved twice from Haaland after Matheus Nunes missed a volley.
Chadli missed another chance in the 69th minute, shooting over the bar. Gundogan scored his second after latching onto a Bernardo Silva pass and lifted the ball over Eisa, ending any chance of a comeback.
Bobb added a fifth in the 82nd minute by cutting inside and finishing at the near post, before Cherki completed the rout with a clinical finish from the edge of the box.
