Manchester City beat Club América de Mexico (2-1) on Wednesday in a friendly match without Erling Haaland, who remained on the bench. Jack Grealish, had clashed with several opposing players.
Manchester City won 2-1 against Club América de Mexico with a brace from point guard Kevin de Bruyne, but without the first appearance of star rookie Erling Haaland on Wednesday night in Houston, Texas. The Belgian opened the scoring half an hour into the game with a sweeping shot near the opposing box that goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa was unable to stop.
Henry Martin equalized by taking advantage of a long ball forward and resisting the charge of Nathan Ake (43rd), just before De Bruyne scored the winning goal for the English champions, on a offering from Riyad Mahrez (45th + 1).
Haaland was left on the bench by Pep Guardiola, for the first of two friendlies of City’s American tour. The Norwegian striker, recruited from Borussia Dortmund for 60 million euros and who turns 22 on Thursday, could make his debut in the sky blue jersey against a team he knows well: Bayern Munich, Saturday at Green Bay (Wisconsin). Another offensive rookie, Julian Alvarez, participated in the game. But the Argentine came from River Plate was replaced after 70 minutes rather nondescript on the ground.
The match nearly degenerated shortly before the half-hour mark when midfielder Jack Grealish claimed a penalty and had a heated altercation with Ochoa. The two teams had to be separated, the Mexican goalkeeper was replaced and the English international booed by the public with each touch of the ball.
He then received very strong preferential treatment from his opponents. Paraguayan defender Bruno Valdez notably hit him with a violent tackle from behind late in the game.
Source: AFP
