Manchester City delivered a commanding 5-2 victory over Juventus in the FIFA Club World Cup, securing top spot in Group G.
The thrashing, led by goals from Jeremy Doku, Erling Haaland, Phil Foden, Savinho, and an own goal by Pierre Kalulu, marked a return to form for Pep Guardiola’s side at Camping World Stadium in Orlando.
Guardiola praised his team’s performance, emphasizing their rediscovered edge. “The players felt what it’s like to be a good team again,” he said. “It’s been a long time since we performed like this, on and off the ball. Beating a top side like Juventus gives us belief.”
City have endured a challenging season but showed no signs of rust against the Italian giants.
Doku opened the scoring in the 10th minute, cutting inside to curl a precise shot into the far corner after a pinpoint pass from Rayan Ait-Nouri.
Juventus equalized through Teun Koopmeiners, capitalizing on a sloppy pass from Ederson, but City regained the lead before halftime when Kalulu comically turned a Matheus Nunes cross into his own net.
The second half saw City pull away. Haaland, introduced at halftime for Omar Marmoush, needed just seven minutes to score his 300th career goal for club and country, tapping in after Nunes’ unselfish play. “I admire strikers like Erling,” Guardiola said. “Scoring 300 goals at 24 is incredible. We need to support him, and today we did.”
Foden extended the lead, finishing a move sparked by Savinho, who later sealed the rout with a stunning 20-yard strike that crashed off the underside of the bar. Dusan Vlahovic grabbed a late consolation for Juventus, but it couldn’t prevent City’s dominance.
Guardiola’s decision to field a stronger lineup, including Rodri’s first start in nine months following a knee injury, paid dividends. “We adjusted a few things today, and the performance was really good,” he said.
“The crowd was electric, and the players showed what we need to do to return to the level we’ve been at for the last decade.”
Recent posts on X from Manchester City’s official account celebrated the victory, highlighting Haaland’s milestone and Savinho’s screamer, while fans praised the team’s attacking flair.
Juventus’ official X post acknowledged the defeat but vowed to regroup for their next challenge, likely against Real Madrid in the last 16.
City’s emphatic win sets up a favorable last-16 tie in Orlando, where they’ll face Group H’s runners-up.
For Juventus, the loss means a tougher path forward, but for City, this performance was a statement of intent. “This is just one game,” Guardiola cautioned, “but it’s a step toward maintaining this rhythm.”
