Manchester City eased to a comfortable 2-0 victory over Wydad in their opening game of the Fifa Club World Cup on Wednesday.
Goals from Phil Foden and Jeremy Doku at the beginning and end of the first half earned Pep Guardiola's side victory at a baking hot Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.
Summer signings Tijjani Reijnders and Ryan Chekri were both handed debuts after their respective summer moves from AC Milan and Lyon, while there was also a welcome return from injury for Ballon d'Or-winning midfielder Rodri.
The only downside for City was the late sending off for Rico Lewis who was shown a straight red card after catching Samuel Obeng in the face in his follow through after sliding in for a tackle.
But Lewis's exit came with two minutes to go and with City in cruise control, on the way to a win that took them top of Group G, which also contains UAE side Al Ain and Italian giants Juventus who face-off in Washington DC (Thursday at 5am UAE time).
“Very happy for the team to start the tournament with a win. It was difficult at times with the heat,” said player-of-the-match Foden.
“Fair play to them, they were a top team on the counter-attacks. A lot of chances that we had to deal with. Happy with the performance and happy with the three points.
“I stayed alive, and the ball fell to me. I put it away nicely, so I am happy. A new season, fresh me. Looking forward to the season now.”
City were playing their first game since a surprise FA Cup final defeat by Crystal Palace which meant they finished the season trophyless. And that came on the back of a disappointing Premier League campaign which saw them finish third, a distant 13 points behind champions Liverpool.
But City began their Club World Cup defence in style as they took the lead inside two minutes of action, scoring the tournament's quickest ever goal.
A surging run down the right by Savinho ended with the Brazilian winger sending over a cross that Wydad goalkeeper El Mehdi Benabid could only parry straight to the feet of Foden who finished first time into the corner.
It was a welcome goal for the England international – his first in 20 matches for club and country – after a tough season where he failed to hit the heights of previous campaigns.
January signing Omar Marmoush almost made it 2-0 before the 10-minute mark but the Egyptian attacker pulled his shot just wide of the target while defender Nathan Ake headed another chance just wide from a corner.
But it was not all one-way traffic with the 2021/22 CAF Champions League winners making life difficult at times for City, with Thembinkosi Lorch a lively figure for WAC.
The South African attacker attempted one audacious strike from inside his own half that had Ederson in the City goal back-pedalling furiously before stopping the ball just before the goalline.
Lorch also set up another opportunity for countryman Cassius Mailula whose weak effort was blocked by Ederson while firing another effort wide of the target himself.
Foden almost grabbed a second but saw his low effort well saved by Benabid but moments later City had doubled their lead.
This time Foden was the provider as he sent a corner deep towards the back post where Doku was on hand to volley home first time for his first goal in six months just before half-time.
The second half was to prove a quiet affair in the searing heat with City's best moment coming on the hour when Rodri appeared from the bench to make his first appearance since injuring his ACL in the 2-2 draw with Arsenal last September.
The Spaniard looked understandably rusty at first, sending one simple pass out side out for a throw-in, but City will be delighted to get the Spaniard some minutes on the pitch. “Of course, he will be important,” said Guardiola. “We have to adjust many things, but step by step.”
Fellow second-half substitute Erling Haaland had two chances to make it 3-0 sending one effort over the bar before seeing another saved by Benabid.
There was to be late controversy, though, when Lewis was shown a straight red card when both he and Obeng slid in for a challenge only for the WAC player to take a boot in the face. “He touches the ball. He never had any intention to do it,” insisted Guardiola. “It is what it is.”
Next up for City is Al Ain at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta which kicks-off Monday, 5am UAE time. Wydad are back in action at the Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday night when they take on Juventus at 8pm.
