Pep Guardiola was pleased with the first three points and bemused at Rico Lewis’s 88th-minute straight red card for which the player will receive a one-match ban – at least.
Lewis protested yet the VAR upheld Ramon Abatti’s odd decision: City’s 20-year-old right-back swept the ball away and then – unluckily – booted Samuel Obeng’s face. Guardiola said: “
For the speed they go to touch the ball – for the Newton’s theory your leg has to be a little bit higher and the other player was down. Rico has never had an intention to hurt anyone. It’s a little unnecessary. I said that to the referee, he disagreed and he is the boss.”
This midday kick-off in the Philadelphia heat against Morocco’s Wydad AC offered a glimpse of City’s hopes for 2025-26 as their Club World Cup defence enjoyed lift-off. It told us Tijjani Reijnders can operate in the No 6 or “Rodri role” for Guardiola despite being bought to scheme, primarily, as a No 8. It said City’s high line remains a weakness though mitigation could be found in Rúben Dias and John Stones being substitutes only.
In Phil Foden’s opener plus assist for Jérémy Doku’s second we may have witnessed the start of a renaissance following City’s season horribilis. And in the near instant takedown of a first-half pitch invader, wearing a T-shirt protesting against Morocco’s cull of stray dogs and cats, there was a sign of the high alert this divided country is on.
Guardiola said: “The first game is always really important. [Foden was] really good. He’s always there. We’re really pleased. [Reijnders] is a really good player. You feel it, smell it. When he gets the rhythm he will be top.”
After claiming the previous seven‑club tournament, City’s bid to retain this revamped 32-team iteration was about victory, and walking Guardiola’s pre-match message. Our season begins here, the Catalan posited, before sending out an XI that intrigued. Erling Haaland and Rodri enjoyed a centre-circle pow-wow before this Group G opener, then sat down on the bench as replacements. Instead, their manager handed debuts to Rayan Cherki and Reijnders but not Rayan Aït-Nouri, his other major summer signing.
Rodri’s omission could be filed as odd given he had not started since 22 September after sustaining a serious knee injury against Arsenal that excluded him until the side’s final home game of last season. He was in need of match time, as emphasised by a rusty second-half cameo.
Bernardo Silva – named by Guardiola as City’s new captain – went unused throughout a display that has to be caveated by the shockwaves that Wydad, despite being the 22-time Moroccan champions, would have caused if the 2022-23 treble victors were defeated.
One minute 53 seconds were clocked when Foden stroked beyond El Mehdi Benabid. This ended a move initiated by Nathan Aké’s ball down the left to Doku and took in Savinho, a scramble in Wydad’s area, then Foden’s strike.
This was the first answer to how Wydad would fare. A second came when Omar Marmoush, City’s No 9, sprayed a shot marginally wide moments after. In the heat, Amine Benhachem’s men had the same issue many do against City: trying to stymie their attacks. But they also prospered, via invention beyond the high line, as copious foes enjoy.
A Mohamed Moufid raid down the left splayed City and, if his pass had found Thembinkosi Lorch, Ederson’s goal may have been breached. Then Lorch, near halfway, nabbed the ball and aimed a chip over City’s No 1, but the captain recovered.
Next, a howler from Vitor Reis, City’s other centre-back alongside Aké, whose slip allowed the bright Lorch an opening. The forward’s swivel sat Reis down as he tried to recover but, in refusing the shot, the Brazilian and City escaped.
The team from Casablanca did not, though, when Foden dropped a corner in from the right: Doku, first time, hit past Benabid and so Guardiola’s men ambled off at the break two up.
The Catalan, cutting a dashing figure in white shirt, safari pants and sneakers, refused instant changes for the second period. The decision seemed prudent when the same unit manoeuvred Doku into a scoring zone but the wingman could only locate Benabid, who saved.
Then a triple change. Rodri, Haaland, Oscar Bobb for Cherki, Doku and Foden. This pushed Reijnders ahead of Rodri, Marmoush into Cherki’s inside-forward berth behind Haaland in attack, with Bobb on the right, Savinho switching to the right.
At a Lincoln Financial Field just over half full (capacity 67,500), Wydad’s support offered incessant drums and noise. And derision when Rodri flipped a pass straight out, this usually magisterial footballer hanging a hand up in apology.
As the contest tailed off a flare in Wydad’s red was let go behind Ederson’s goal and then the card of the same colour was seen by Lewis – which had Guardiola, correctly, in a fury. A crowd of 37,446 departed mildly entertained and with City knowing Lewis is now unavailable for the contest with Al Ain in Atlanta on Sunday, and maybe beyond.
Foden, who has two years left on his deal, confirmed afterwards that there is no news from the club on a fresh one. Continue how he did today and there may be soon.
