Man City best Urawa Red to set up semi-final date with Fluminense

Premier League and European champions Manchester City are just one game away from becoming the world champion at the FIFA Club World Cup going on in Saudi Arabia after they defeated Japanese side Urawa Reds on Tuesday.

Pep Guardiola’s side was without two players who are slowly on the journey to return from injury, with Erling Haaland unavailable and Kevin de Bruyne sitting on the bench for the game. Manchester City huffed and puffed for an opener, but it did not come until stoppage time in the first half when Urawa defender Marius Hoibraten turned Matheus Nunes’ cross into his own net. 

Manchester City increased in momentum in the second half, with goals in seven second-half minutes from Kovacic (52nd minute) and Bernardo Silva (59th minute). 

Manchester City had 25 shots and restricted Urawa Red Diamonds to just two shots. They have now set up a meeting with South American champions Fluminense in the final of the Club World Cup on Friday.

Pep Guardiola has won the competition twice in the past with FC Barcelona, but he will get a chance to make it three times on Friday with statistics and history favoring the Europeans as the last 10 winners of the FIFA Club World Cup have been European teams.

Guardiola showed interest in winning the competition and admitted to wanting to win the only trophy available to City that they have yet to win.

“We want to win it. Once we are here, it is a trophy we do not have. We want to close the little circle and win all the trophies we could do. This is the last one. In the Premier League, you have another game in three days. Here, it may be another lifetime.” Guardiola said.

Fluminense defeated African champions Al Ahly 2-0 on Monday to move into the final of the competition.

Daniel Ademiju Idowu