Match Report & Player...

Enzo Maresca’s Manchester City commenced his tenure with a close penalty shootout loss to Inter Milan, attracting an audience of 42,286 at the Kai Tak Stadium in Hong Kong on Saturday.

The teams, who famously clashed in the 2023 Champions League final, ended regulation time tied at 1-1, before Cristian Chivu’s squad secured a 3-1 win in the shootout to seize the Asahi Super Dry Trophy. This match was a competitive and mostly positive opener for City’s new manager.

The action ignited in the 14th minute when Antoine Semenyo raced down the left flank and set up Divin Mubama, who found the net from close range, giving Mancunians an early lead.

Semenyo stood out during the first half and came close to extending the advantage shortly after, maneuvering through several defenders before Josep Martinez made a commendable save with his left leg to deny the Ghana international.

However, City’s lead did not last long. Minutes after Semenyo’s thwarted shot, the Serie A champions equalized when a cross from Jamal Iddrissou escaped the City defense and fell to Benjamin Pavard, who struck from the edge of the box.

Despite numerous substitutions at halftime, the second half displayed further promise. Vitor Reis hit the crossbar, and the youthful winger Ryan McAidoo, one of the evening’s highlights, struck the post from 18 yards before narrowly missing the follow-up.

With neither team able to gain an upper hand, the match proceeded to a shootout. Rayan Ait-Nouri, Abdukodir Khusanov, and Nico Gonzalez all missed their chances, with only Claudio Echeverri scoring, allowing Inter to lift the trophy in a largely inconsequential pre-season context.

Maresca’s team will now head to Seoul, where they will face a K-League All Stars team and Atletico Madrid in friendly matches.

Here’s a breakdown of how the Manchester City players performed in their opening match under Maresca.

Starting XI

Gianluigi Donnarumma – 6/10

Encountered a few shaky moments in the first half; while he made necessary saves, he appeared nervous on the ball during the opening 45 minutes.

Rico Lewis – 5.5/10

Did not deliver one of his best performances in a City jersey, struggling to contain Dimarco and the left-sided players from Inter.

Abdukodir Khusanov – 7/10

Produced crucial tackles, showed determination, and has become a strong contender for the starting centre-back position.

Josko Gvardiol – 7/10

Alongside Khusanov, he disrupted Inter’s offense in the opening minutes and facilitated play into midfield effectively.

Stephen Mfuni – 6/10

Displayed discomfort in defensive duties but contributed going forward, working well in conjunction with Antoine Semenyo.

Mateo Kovacic – 6/10

Struggled to control the game in a midfield trio that was too easily bypassed by Inter.

Tijjani Reijnders – 6/10

A lackluster performance with no significant impact offensively or defensively, needing to prove himself to Maresca ahead of a potential exit.

Phil Foden – 6/10

Faced heavy marking from Inter and found limited space to create, must elevate his performance in the upcoming friendlies as Maresca aims to maximize his potential.

Savinho – 6.5/10

Displayed promise on the right wing in a newly structured City attack. Despite his desire to join Tottenham before the transfer window closes, continued impressive performances could fuel Spurs’ interest.

Divin Mubama – 7/10

Opened the scoring and effectively connected play by dropping deep to draw defenders, earning acclaim as the first scorer of Maresca’s era at the Etihad Stadium.

Antoine Semenyo – 8/10 (POTM)

Simply exceptional, no further words necessary.