The final of the Club World Cup is set. Manchester City, led by coach Pep Guardiola, will clash with Fluminense, the former Real Madrid star Marcelo guiding the Brazilian side, in what promises to be a monumental battle for global club supremacy this Friday. The title is highly coveted and far from ceremonial, a prize that could redefine pride for both teams as they seek recognition on the world stage.
City faced a tough hurdle in the semi, even without star forwards Erling Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne. They overcame a stubborn Red Urawa squad, but the path to victory was narrow. Although the goals did not come quickly, City asserted pressure and found a breakthrough as the clock edged toward the end of the first half.
When the opener finally arrived, it appeared more a consequence of defensive misfortune from the Japanese side than pure City brilliance. A cross from left back was deflected, and the unlucky deflection found its way into the net just after the 45th minute of the first half, giving Urawa’ s defense the difficult task of reversing the deficit before the break. City had created several chances earlier, registering 13 attempts with four on target, while Nishikawa, the visiting keeper aged 37, produced four notable saves to keep the scoreline within reach at the break.
Without a traditional number nine
Throughout the first period, City monopolized possession, hovering around 77 percent, yet the shape remained fluid and unconventional. Urawa defended rigidly, stifling spaces and denying any foothold near Ederson’s area. Guardiola opted to field a formation without a conventional number nine, and Julián Álvarez did not feature in the starting lineup. The approach suggested a tactical emphasis on movement and interchanging roles rather than a fixed focal point in attack.
Bernardo Silva stepped into a freer role, a versatile performer capable of shaping play from multiple positions. Despite the assignment, the Japanese organized block refused to yield, complicating the task of unlocking their organized line.
The breakthrough in favor of City arrived when Nunes found space on the right and curled a cross toward the goal. A tall Norwegian defender, Höibraten, under pressure from a late challenge, misread the flight, and the ball ended up in the net. The finish mirrored the influence of the team’s focal players, as if Haaland himself had struck the opener in the chaos of a busy City night.
Japan’s defense buckles
With the score at 0-1, City adjusted by shifting Bernardo Silva to the right wing, letting Foden roam centrally in an energetic, unorthodox partnership that destabilized the Japanese backline. Foden’s movement created space and options away from the penalty area, drawing defenders and creating openings.
As the match progressed, the Japanese defense began to crumble. Kovacic arrived late in the second half and converted a second goal, capitalizing on the gap carved open by the advancing City midfield. The tally came at 0-2, and the lead widened when Bernardo Silva added another strike just before the hour mark, pushing the score to 0-3 and deflating the Urawa defense further.
Guardiola subsequently utilized the final half-hour to rest key players, preserving energy for Friday’s final against Fluminense and ensuring freshness for the high-stakes match ahead.
Urawa’s starting lineup included Nishikawa, Sekine, Scholz, Höibraten, Akimoto, Ito, Iwao, Okubo, Yasui, Koizumi, and Kanté, with Skorza managing the bench. Substitutions saw Ogiwara, Ito, and Schalk enter in the later stages, while Linssen, Kanté, Nakajima, Koizumi, Shibato, and Iwao also moved in and out as the clock wound down.
Manchester City lined up with Ederson, Walker, Akanji, Aké, Stones, Rodri, Kovacic, Foden, Grealish, Nunes, and Bernardo Silva. The club’s technical staff rotated personnel in the final stages, including Bobb, Álvarez, Gvardiol, Julián Álvarez again, Sergio Gómez, Kalvin Phillips, and Rodri, as the squad prepared for the decisive clash on Friday.
Final scores: 0-1 from Höibraten halting the clock at 45+1 minutes; 0-2 from Kovacic on 52 minutes; 0-3 courtesy of Bernardo Silva on 59 minutes. The result underscored City’s superiority in the tie and built anticipation for the title clash against Fluminense, a match steeped in prestige and global significance that will determine the world’s best club for the season.
[Citation: match reports and tactical analysis from authoritative sources on the Club World Cup final, with accreditation to official competition organizers and recognized broadcasters.]