Manchester City thrashes Al Ain with a commanding six-goal victory

Manchester City secured their spot in the knockout stages of the FIFA Club World Cup with a commanding 6-0 victory against Al Ain, who are eliminated from the tournament after conceding a staggering eleven goals across two matches.

City asserted their dominance right from the kick-off, striking within the first eight minutes.

Ilkay Gundogan displayed his finesse and poise in the area as he seized a loose ball. While it appeared he was aiming for a delicate cross, his effort soared over Khalid Eisa, landing neatly in the back of the net.

Al Ain tried to mount a counterattack, nearly finding the net when Nassim Chadli broke free, only for Stefan Ortega to deflect his goalbound shot wide.

This brief glimmer of hope was short-lived as City struck again just before the half-hour mark.

Though the integrity of the defensive wall was called into question, Claudio Echeverri successfully curled a brilliant free-kick into the net, marking his first goal for the club and extending the lead to 2-0.

Things took a turn for the worse for Al Ain just before halftime, as a VAR review determined that Ramy Rabia had brought Manuel Akanji down in the box, allowing Erling Haaland to confidently convert the subsequently awarded penalty.

Following the break, Vladimir Ivic attempted to shake things up with a double substitution, but City continued their onslaught in search of more goals.

Haaland was thwarted by a remarkable double save from Eisa, but the fourth goal arrived in the 73rd minute.

Gundogan once again demonstrated his class with a superb first touch to carve out space in the box, before effortlessly lifting the ball over Eisa.

There was still time for more action, as Oscar Bobb netted from close range at the near post, before Rayan Cherki marked his arrival with his first goal for City, completing the rout.

This result paves the way for a thrilling final match between Manchester City and Juventus, with both teams boasting perfect records and aiming to finish at the top of the group, while Al Ain’s exit means they’ll contest a dead rubber against Wydad.

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