City's youth team opened their challenge for the prestigious Dallas Cup in Texas with an impressive 4-0 victory over AC Milan that set the tournament buzzing and installed the Boy Blues as leaders of their group.
Robbie Mak grabbed a double and Alex Nimely and James Poole one each to stun the fancied Rossoneri and put City in the driving seat of Group A. Victory in the next tie against Mexicans Tigres will see guarantee passage to the next stage.
City’s controlled football in the first half set the tone for an emphatic win in which they were never truly extended, such was their authority as they kept their shape and the ball to make the Italians struggle.
Nimely snapped up the only goal before the break, picking up Keiran Tripper’s trademark accurate 50-yard pass to lob the Milan goalkeeper, but the true worth of the half was that the outplayed Italians ran themselves ragged.
When Mak was brought down ten minutes into the second half for a clear-cut penalty that he converted himself, City were as good as there. Three minutes later, Mak turned his defender to deliver the goal of the game with an outstanding finish into the top corner from 12 yards.
Milan had a man sent off for a second yellow card with the game already beyond them at 3-0 and the Blues, having brought on their six allowed substitutes to brave a chill wind, saw one of them, Poole, prod home Jack Redshaw’s cross-shot at the far post.
Toronto fought out a 1-1 draw against Tigres in Group A, and there were goals galore elsewhere. In Group B Eintracht Frankfurt thumped Japanese outfit Urawa Red Diamonds 6-1. Vancouver Whitecaps also kicked off with an emphatic 4-1 win over Club Futbol Monterrey in Group C.
City squad: Ibrahim, Poole, Helan, Mitchell, Guidetti, Clegg, Johansen, Wabara, Tutte, Mak, Nimely, Cunningham, Chantler, Benali, Redshaw, Tse, Boyata, Elabdellaoui, Trippier.
