Enzo Maresma secured his inaugural victory as Manchester City’s manager with a convincing 3-1 triumph over the K‑League All Stars on the streets of Seoul. The match unfolded at a frenetic pace, with all four goals finding the net within the first 23 minutes, a stark contrast to the disappointment of the previous weekend’s penalty shoot‑out defeat to Inter Milan. City’s attacking onslaught was spearheaded by Rayan Ait‑Nouri, Tijjani Reijnders and the young prospect Divin Mubama, each contributing a goal as the English side rotated through an impressive 22‑player roster. Sky Sports took the opportunity to dissect Maresma’s debut, noting that the coach deliberately positioned himself as a “not‑a‑copy‑and‑paste” successor to Pep Guardiola, opting for a distinct tactical approach in the Asian setting.
One of the most striking adjustments was the deployment of Rico Lewis at right‑back. Rather than remaining wide, Lewis frequently drifted inside when City held possession, effectively bolstering a midfield trio composed of Mateo Kovacic and Reijnders. This inward movement transformed the defensive shape into a three‑man block featuring Josko Gvardiol, Abdukodir Khusanov and veteran centre‑back Ruben Dias, providing a compact platform from which the team could launch attacks.
The wing positions were occupied by Ait‑Nouri and Antoine Semenyo, both instructed to hug the touchline and stay high up the pitch. Their positioning paid immediate dividends: Ait‑Nouri opened the scoring in the ninth minute after receiving the ball on the left flank and cutting inside to fire a low, precise finish past the goalkeeper.
The early goal set the tone for the rest of the half. Further down the centre, Phil Foden was granted a liberated role as a number‑10, operating behind striker Samir Muamba. This freedom allowed Foden to link play between midfield and attack, while Muamba, who had already found the net in consecutive pre‑season fixtures, continued his fine form by providing a physical presence up front.
Off the pitch, speculation swirled about the future of Reijnders. Reports on Tuesday suggested that Nottingham Forest were preparing a £55 million bid for the Dutch midfielder. However, his performance in Seoul should give City’s hierarchy cause for pause. Reijnders’ relentless drives from deep, combined with his technical finesse, repeatedly unlocked the opposition defence.
His first‑half contribution included a well‑timed run that set up Ait‑Nouri’s opener, and later he capped a move with a low‑driven finish after a clever back‑heel assist from Semenyo. The midfield battle will become even more intense next season with the arrival of Elliott Anderson, a £116 million acquisition who missed the Asian tour due to his World Cup commitments with England. Despite Anderson’s arrival, Maresma’s display suggests that Reijnders still has a strong case to retain his place, especially if he continues to produce performances of this calibre.
While Semenyo did not add his name to the scoresheet, his influence was arguably the most significant of the match. The Ghanaian international terrorised the K‑League defence, using his pace and dribbling to create space on the right. He delivered a sublime assist for Reijnders’ second goal and later forced a defensive error that led to Muamba’s rebound finish.
After 45 minutes, Semenyo was substituted for Savinho, a change that failed to replicate his impact. The Tottenham‑linked forward had impressed during the latter half of the previous season after joining in January, and his showing in Seoul hints at a promising upward trajectory under Maresma’s guidance. The game’s rhythm was further highlighted by the rapid exchange of goals. Only three minutes separated Ait‑Nouri’s early strike from the K‑League All Stars’ equaliser, a quicker response than Inter Milan’s comeback after Muamba’s goal in the earlier friendly.
This pattern of conceding shortly after scoring will undoubtedly be a point of analysis for Maresma as he fine‑tunes his side’s defensive concentration. A notable similarity emerged in the manner of the equaliser.
Dae‑Won Kim’s goal mirrored the situation from the Inter match, where the ball arrived from City’s right side. In the previous fixture, Benjamin Pavard’s finish for Inter had been preceded by Federico Dimarco exploiting space on City’s right. Four days later, it was the K‑League All Stars who capitalised on a similar opening, with Kim cutting in from the left and slotting the ball past Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Speaking of Donnarumma, the Italian goalkeeper had limited involvement in Seoul, only making a single save by gathering a cross at the near post. Nevertheless, he will be aware that the same venue will host City’s next pre‑season clash against Atletico Madrid on Sunday at 12 pm UK time, where he is likely to face a greater workload. Beyond the tactical analysis, the match also featured promotional elements such as a “Play Super 6” competition offering a £250 k prize, underscoring the commercial side of modern football tours. Overall, Maresma’s inaugural outing demonstrated a willingness to experiment with formations, player roles and pressing patterns, while still delivering a decisive victory.
If the team can address the defensive lapses that led to the early concession, the tactical blueprint displayed in Seoul could serve as a solid foundation for the upcoming season, with Reijnders and Semenyo emerging as key contributors to City’s evolving identity.