Second-half goals from Mateo Kovacic and Bernardo Silva saw Manchester City cruise into the Club World Cup final with a 3-0 win over Urawa Red Diamonds.
The J1 League side performed with admirable defensive discipline against a City team again lacking Erling Haaland, only for the injured Norwegian's compatriot Marius Hoibraten to undermine those efforts when he turned Matheus Nunes' low cross into his own net on the stroke of half-time.
That forced Urawa to open up a little, leaving space in behind for Kyle Walker to thread a majestic through ball that allowed Kovacic to emphatically claim his first City goal.
Silva got in on the act before the hour with a deflected effort off the unfortunate Hoibraten and Urawa were indebted to goalkeeper Shusaku Nishikawa for keeping the scoreline respectable as Oscar Bobb produced a sparkling cameo from the European champions' bench.
City will face Copa Libertadores winners Fluminense in Friday's final, when Urawa take on Al Ahly in the third-place playoff.
Urawa Reds vs Man City final score
| Result | Goalscorers | |
| Urawa Reds | 0 | |
| Man City | 3 | Hoibraten (OG) '45+1, Kovacic '52, Silva '59 |
Lineups:
Urawa Reds (4-2-3-1, right to left): 1. Shusaku Nishikawa — 14. Takahiro Sekine, 28. Alexander Scholz, 5. Marius Hoibraten, 15. Takahiro Akimoto — 3. Atsuki Ito (26. Takuya Ogiwara), 19. Ken Iwao (22. Kai Shibato) — 21. Tomoaki Okubo (17. Alex Schalk), 25. Katio Yasui, 8. Yoshio Koizumi (10. Shoya Nakajima) — 11. Jose Kante (9. Bryan Linssen).
Man City (4-3-3 right to left): 31. Ederson — 2. Kyle Walker, 5. John Stones (21. Sergio Gomez), 25. Manuel Akanji (24. Josko Gvardiol), 6. Nathan Ake — 27. Matheus Nunes, 16. Rodri (4. Kalvin Phillips), 8. Mateo Kovacic — 47. Phil Foden (19. Julian Alvarez), 20. Bernardo Silva (53. Oscar Bobb), 10. Jack Grealish.
Urawa Reds vs Man City highlights
Julian Alvarez came off the bench for City and the Argentina striker is likely to lead the line in the final after Haaland was withdrawn from the 23-man squad list given to FIFA for the tournament. Kevin De Bruyne, who returned to training on Monday following hamstring surgery, and Jeremy Doku (thigh) will similarly not take part against Fluminense.
Speaking at his post-match news conference, Guardiola said: "Kevin started to train yesterday and tomorrow he will train with us. But [he can't come back after] four months to play one final. Erling still cannot train.
Click here to access the full match highlights of Urawa Reds 0-3 Man City on FIFA+
Kovacic and Nunes get up to speed with Guardiola’s demands
During City’s recent slump of one win in six Premier League games, summer arrivals Kovacic and Matheus Nunes started one of those matches between them despite Guardiola’s midfield options feeling stretched.
It takes time to get up to speed with what Guardiola demands from the No.8s stationed in front of his holding midfielder. Phil Foden has only recently started to play in those areas with any regularity and even Bernardo Silva spent most of his first season at City on the wing.
That’s been all well and good over the years, but after Ilkay Gundogan left to join Barcelona and Kevin De Bruyne required hamstring surgery, Guardiola found himself short in a key area of the field.
Both Nunes and Kovacic have suffered minor injury problems since joining City. The Croatia international impressed early on in the season but back-to-back fraught displays in defeats to Wolverhampton Wanderers and Arsenal checked his progress. Nunes, for all his ball-carrying prowess, has looked an uneasy fit in a team lacking its usual rhythm.
The quality of the opposition in Jeddah provides context that should be given fair weight, but this was a step in the right direction for both. Kovacic’s goal was the standout moment of the match and will ideally settle him back down into his late summer form. Nunes was probably the best player on the pitch, providing tenacity and drive against a deep-lying defence that was determined to slow the game down to have a hand in the first and third goals.
Once the Premier League action resumes, Guardiola is going to have to trust both men and each gave him reasons to do so.
Man City domination shows up FIFA’s dreadful masterplan
Pep Guardiola really rather likes this competition. This can be attributed to the fact he is both a three-time winner and a helpless football nerd. The latter fact is probably more relevant and he’ll be giddy over the idea of playing the Copa Libertadores winners. But in his pre-match news conference he made a very salient point over the imbalanced nature of a tournament that has seen European clubs win 15 out of the past 16 finals.
“Of course, Europe is economically stronger than the other countries. That is a reality," he said. "Is it much better technically, [in terms of] skills, the preparations of the managers and the teams? I don’t know. I would not disrespect the quality of the other teams and the preparations of the managers.”
Urawa are a technically sound side who were tactically disciplined and fairly clearly well-coached by Maciej Skorza. But even as City lacked the cutting edge of Haaland, Doku and De Bruyne, Guardiola could rest Alvarez in the knowledge this was absolutely not a fair fight.
Gianni Infantino talks a bold game about expanding the horizons of the global club game with his new 32-team version of this event in 2025. Of course, it would be ideal to have strong clubs who can compete with one another across the globe, but Europe is such a dominant powerhouse that proposing a month-long competition to alter this is putting the cart before the horse.
If this is the level of jeopardy produced by a semi-final in a seven-team tournament that lasts 10 days, we probably don’t need one more than quadruple the size that goes a month. Even if Fluminense upset the odds and beat City on Friday, it should not be used as justification for a preposterous project.
Urawa Reds vs Man City as it happened
Fulltime: Routine stuff in the end for City, who were patient in the face of disciplined Urawa defending and had some fun after halftime. Fluminense should provide a much tougher test in Friday's final, when Urawa will face Al Ahly in the third-place playoff. Thanks very much for joining us.
90th minute+3: Ake heads clear to lead by example and that should be that.
90th minute+2: Urawa win a late corner. Ederson is not happy, Ake gees his colleagues up to complete a first shutout since November 7.
90th minute: Gomez's turn to batter one off target from range. Bit of an end-of-term feel to things now. Three minutes to be added.
88th minute: Phillips hammers one wide from all of 35 yards. Hey, why not?
87th minute: Gvardiol chests down Bobb's cross and Kovacic slaps one over. None of the poise from his earlier finish.
84th minute: Nishikawa is once more sharply out of his goal to deny Alvarez in a one-on-one, winning the goal kick in the process. Urawa's goalkeeper has produced a fine performance here.
80th minute: Ederson darts off his line and makes a sliding clearance to deny Nakajima. The Brazil international showing all the urgency you'd expect from a goalkeeper who is six weeks removed from his most recent clean sheet and has just seen a load of defensive substitutions take place.
77th minute: Phillips and Gomez replace Rodri and Stones in City's final two changes. Urawa skipper Iwao makes way for Shibato to use up their allocation.
76th minute: Bobb gets in down the right channel. It's been a sparkling cameo from the young Norway international. Nishikawa gets out to bravely thwart Alvarez from the cutback.
72nd minute: Oohh, gorgeous feet from Bobb, who wriggles into room inside the Urawa penalty area when there appeared to be none. Schalk clears behind.
70th minute: Bobb fires a rasping effort just past the post.
67th minute: Ederson claims the corner in exemplary fashion.
66th minute: Urawa substitute Linssen straight into the action and it's the Japanese side's best attacking moment, with Stones forced to boot behind from inside his goalmouth.
65th minute: Three changes for City as Foden, Silva and Ajkanji are allowed to rest up. Gvardiol, Alvarez and Bobb enter the fray.
63rd minute: This suddenly looks like it could end up being any score. Foden backheels to Grealish, who shimmies around Nishikawa but makes a complete mess of the chance and is crowded out by the tireless Hoibraten.
59th minute: GOOOOAAAAAALLLLLL!!!! Bernardo Silva!!!
Nunes lines up a shot from the left-hand edge of the penalty area. It's an infinitely better attempt that his nonsense header just before and Nishikawa is forced into evasive action. The rebound drops to Silva, whose shot is deflected in off Hoibraten. Don't worry, Marius, this one won't go down as an own goal.
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That's 3-0! 🔥
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) December 19, 2023
Bernardo Silva gets on the scoresheet as Man City begin to run off with this game! 🙌 pic.twitter.com/WEoPPzdeCm
56th minute: Ooooff, a howling miss from Nunes! Grealish skips around the outside of the increasingly beleaguered Sekine. He stands up a cross to the far post and Nunes heads wide of an empty net from about three yards.
52nd minute: GOOOOAAAAAALLLLLL!!!! Mateo Kovacic!!!
It's been so congested in there but now Kovacic gets a chance to break in behind as Walker pierces the Urawa defence with a wonderful through ball via the outside of his boot. The Croatia international isn't noted for his finishing but takes a couple of touches and rams a shot high into the net.
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Mateo Kovacic brilliantly doubles Man City's lead! 🤩
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) December 19, 2023
The Croatian expertly gets his first goal of the season! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/jwqi4QTPA1
51st minute: Nunes mishits his latest cross from inside the Urawa box. Mercifully Nishikawa is able to grasp this one before any of his defenders boot it past him.
48th minute: Foden enjoying a little more room to menacingly roam through the Urawa midfield. His pass to Bernardo is a touch behind his team-mate. The Portugal international's resulting shot is hooked well wide.
46th minute: No changes for either side and Urawa attack as they most. City have been defensively rocky of late and Kante gives them something to think about as his shot is blocked and Walker nods back to Ederson.
Halftime: Well, that was a bit of a dirge but all was going to plan for Urawa until Hoibraten erred on the stroke of the interval. You'd imagine we'll see the likes of Julian Alvarez, Oscar Bobb and Micah Hamilton soon, with City lacking cutting edge.
45th minute+1: Urawa respond with a foray forward to win a corner. City deal with it, Kante halts Grealish's attempted counter somewhat agriculturally and gets a talking to from te referee.
45th minute: GOOOOAAAAAALLLLLL!!!! Marius Hoibraten (OG)!!!
Oh no, what have you done? Urawa have put in a determined defensive effort and are within touching distance of halftime as Nunes burst down the right. It's a well-hit low cross, but there's no pressure on Hoibraten. City aren't playing with a centre-forward, remember. Dear old Marius clearly forgets and he slides in and buries the ball past Nishikawa and into his own net.
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Man City break the deadlock against Urawa Red Diamonds in the Club World Cup 💥 pic.twitter.com/8tKcHRgRaX
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) December 19, 2023
44th minute: Grealish dabs the ball over a sliding Sekine but he runs out of room and it's a goal kick.
41st minute: A nice sharp one-two between Kovacic and Rodri but Urawa manage to shut the door on the Croatia international. Hoibraten with the crucial challenge.
38th minute: Akanji chips a pass to no one in particular out for a goal kick. Guardiola applauds, presumably for the ambition as opposed to the God-awful execution. The crowd cheer as Erling Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne appear on the big screen. To say City could do with their injured duo's cutting edge would be an understatement.
38th minute: Grealish skips around the outside of Sekine to win City's latest corner. They take it short, Kovacic is involved. Here's Foden with a rasping shot. It's a nice height and Nishikawa pushes to safety.
31st minute: Nunes bustles down the right channel and bursts through a challenge. The ball sits up nicely and Nishikawa does well to turn behind a left-footed effort that was travelling.
30th minute: Foden whips in cross from Grealish's pass. Nunes gets the glancing header all wrong. That was a better chance than he made it look.
29th minute: Grealish swings in the corner from the left and Nishikawa is almost caught out with an "Olimpico" punching clear from under his crossbar at the back post.
28th minute: Foden and Silva switch positions and the latter tees up the former but his shot is into traffic. Now Foden again. A bit more urgency about City with the England an through the middle. Rodri lines up another low drive and it's deflected behind.
25th minute: Yasui gets the jump on Akanji around halfway, the City defender pulls him back and that's an obvious first yellow card of the evening.
24th minute: Nishikawa makes a good claim but then thunders the ball downfield straight to the City centre-backs. His team could really have done with a breather there. Although City have created little of note, chasing the ball around is tiring work in these conditions.
19th minute: Grealish chips one in behind for Silva but Nishikawa is alert to the danger. Those two could do with the rest of the City attack joining in at some point.
16th minute: Grealish again. This time he rolls a pass back to Silva who clips a shot over from the edge of the box.
14th minute: A bit of space for Grealish, who is hanging out very wide on the left. He sizes up Sekine, exchanges passes with Silva but the Urawa right-back blocks his shot.
10th minute: More larking about from Ederson that Kante almost capitalises upon. City picking up from where they left off against Crystal Palace at the weekend defensively.
9th minute: Stones sells Ederson a bit short with a backpass and the City goalkeeper is forced into a challenge on Kante. He gets there first and gets some of the striker for good measure. That was dicey.
8th minute: Rodri is responsible for City being here after scoring the winner in the Champions League final against Internazionale. He lines up a shot from all of 30 yards that whistles wide. Caught that sweetly.
6th minute: Kovacic has been getting beyond Silva a fair bit during the opening stages and the Croatia midfielder looks to retrieve a long ball over the top. Nishikawa is there to gather.
1st minute: We're off. The early indications are that Silva will be City's central attacker with Foden and Grealish either side.
5 minutes prior to kickoff: Here come the teams. City in their white and maroon change strip. Uwara Reds dressed as you'd expect.
20 minutes prior to kickoff: Here's a pertinent bit of trivia. Which manager dealt Pep Guardiola his first Champions League defeat? Barcelona lost Wisla Krakow in the second leg of a third-round qualifier, from which the Blaugrana progressed overall. Maciej Skorża, current Urawa Red Diamonds coach, was in charge of the Polish side that day.
40 minutes prior to kickoff: Pep Guardiola is attempting to win the Club World Cup for a fourth time and become the first man in history to do so with three separate clubs, having done so twice at Barcelona and once in his first season at Bayern Munich. He told biographer Marti Perarnau for his book Pep Confidential that he views Barca's 4-0 win over Santos in the 2011 final as the all-time peak of that side. In that game, Guardiola picked Xavi, Andres Iniesta, Cesc Fabregas and Thiago Alcantara in the same team with Lionel Messi as a false nine. Perhaps City can produce something similar for the purists tonight?
1 hour prior to kickoff: This is the City XI and, with Erling Haaland still not fit and Julian Alvarez on the bench, Guardiola is going back to the future in the Club World Cup with a false nine set up. We'll tell you what we mean in a moment. Jack Grealish, Phil Foden and Bernardo Silva make up a front three that is likely to be very fluid.
Our #ClubWC line-up! 🩵
— Manchester City (@ManCity) December 19, 2023
XI | Ederson, Walker (C), Stones, Akanji, Ake, Rodrigo, Kovacic, Nunes, Bernardo, Grealish, Foden
SUBS | Ortega Moreno, Carson, Dias, Phillips, Alvarez, Gomez, Gvardiol, Bobb, Alleyne, Susoho, Lewis, Hamilton#ManCity pic.twitter.com/Dz7dupgSGn
1 hr 5 mins prior to kickoff: Here's the confirmed Urawa team. Semifinal hero Alex Schalk has to be content with a place on the bench. Takahiro Akimoto, Takahiro Sekine and Tomoaki Okubo all sustained knocks against Club Leon but have been passed fit to start.
♦️Starting Ⅺ♦️
— 浦和レッズオフィシャル (@REDSOFFICIAL) December 19, 2023
🗓️12/19(Tue)
🕘21:00/🕒27:00(Japan time)
📍King Abdullah Sports City Stadium/Jeddah#ClubWC#urawareds #浦和レッズ #WeareREDS #負けたままじゃ終われない pic.twitter.com/xFb45aOOqe
1 hr 20 mins prior to kickoff: Kevin De Bruyne’s appearance during Manchester City’s open training session on Monday prompted plenty of excitement. The Belgium playmaker has not played since the opening 20 minutes of the Premier League season after undergoing hamstring injury. He might even be named among the substitutes this evening, given he’s part of the official squad list City handed in to FIFA. However, don’t expect him to feature. De Bruyne is not due back in action until the new year and it is widely assumed he is with his teammates in Saudi Arabia to step up his rehabilitation. I guess if there’s a penalty shootout he might come on.
1 hr 40 mins prior to kickoff: Fluminense rode their luck at times during yesterday’s semifinal but Jhon Arias’ 71st-minute penalty and a last-minute strike from Libertadores final hero John Kennedy secured a 2-0 win over Al Ahly. The Egyptian giants will remarkably contest their fourth consecutive third-place playoff in this tournament. Urawa and City will battle to avoid facing them.
2 hours prior to kickoff: Hello and welcome to The Sporting News' live coverage of the FIFA Club World Cup semifinal between Urawa Red Diamonds and Manchester City.
📲 Match updates
— Manchester City (@ManCity) December 19, 2023
🎙️ Live commentary
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Urawa Reds vs Man City lineups, team news
Guardiola will be determined to secure another title, despite the potential for a mid-season distraction for his squad, and he named a strong starting team in this clash. It features a favoured old tactic, with Phil Foden or Bernardo Silva set to operate as a false nine.
Star striker Erling Haaland is making positive steps in his recovery from a foot injury and could start for the defending European champions, although the game comes too soon for him, as well as Jeremy Doku (thigh). Kevin De Bruyne has travelled to Saudi Arabia but is not expected to feature in the tournament as he continues his rehabilitation from hamstring surgery.
Man City predicted lineup (4-2-3-1, right to left): 31. Ederson — 2. Kyle Walker, 5. John Stones, 25. Manuel Akanji, 6. Nathan Ake — 27. Matheus Nunes, 16. Rodri, 8. Mateo Kovacic — 47. Phil Foden, 20. Bernardo Silva, 10. Jack Grealish.
The Diamonds, commonly known as Urawa Reds, will be confident after their 1-0 win over Mexican side Club Leon in the previous round. Takahiro Akimoto, Takahiro Sekine and Tomoaki Okubo picked up knocks in the previous round but are all fit to start. Dutch winger Alex Schalk was their matchwinner but has to be content with a place on the bench once more.
Urawa Reds predicted lineup (4-2-3-1, right to left): 1. Shusaku Nishikawa — 14. Takahiro Sekine, 28. Alexander Scholz, 5. Marius Hoibraten, 15. Takahiro Akimoto — 3. Atsuki Ito, 19. Ken Iwao — 21. Tomoaki Okubo, 25. Katio Yasui, 8. Yoshio Koizumi — 11. Jose Kante Martinez.
Man City vs Urawa Reds live stream, TV channel
Here's how to watch this Premier League match across selected areas of the world's major regions:
| Region | TV | Streaming |
| USA | — | FIFA+, FIFA YouTube |
| Canada | — |
FIFA+, FIFA YouTube |
| UK | TNT Sports 2 | discovery+, FIFA+, FIFA YouTube |
| Australia | — | FIFA+, FIFA YouTube |
| India | — | FIFA+, FIFA YouTube |
USA/Canada/Australia: This game is available via FIFA+ and FIFA's YouTube channel.
UK: This match is available for live broadcast on TNT Sports with streaming options on discovery+.
