Erling Haaland hits 300th goal in Manchester City rout of Juventus at Club World Cup

Erling Haaland’s 300th career strike graced this canter of a victory, while Savinho’s 75th-minute peach lit up a Manchester City display that will be noted by the other big guns aiming to claim the inaugural 32-team Club World Cup.

The Brazilian’s 20-yard shot ­pinballed off the bar to make it 5-1 and confirm that Juventus would lose and finish second. So while Pep Guardiola’s men remain in search of their smoothest rhythms, topping Group G is a fine feat and whoever they face here on Monday will not relish their task.

City were awaiting the later ­conclusion of Real Madrid’s group to discover their last-16 opponents, who will kick off against them at the cooler time of 9pm on Monday.

For the attempt to beat Juve and register a perfect three wins from three games, Rodri was handed a first start since last September’s draw with Arsenal in which he suffered the ACL injury that ruled him out until the season’s closing minutes.

Missing from the XI of those with a case to be included were Phil Foden, Erling Haaland and ­(perhaps) Rayan Cherki. Then you saw the ­temperature gauge ­showing 31C and remembered their manager’s words about the stinging heat affecting his selection.

City, who finished third in the ­Premier League, 13 points behind ­Liverpool, took on Juve, whose fourth place 12 points behind the ­champions, Napoli, was a similar margin. Until combat was joined who might be ascendant seemed uncertain.

It proved to be City in the ­opening half. In a combination that became familiar, Jérémy Doku and Rayan Aït-Nouri danced along the left, the latter crossed, and Bernardo Silva, twice, failed to beat Michele Di Gregorio.

Here was a dry run for City’s opener. Rodri, strolling about ­knitting play, tapped to Aït-Nouri who slipped in Doku along the same channel: a sidestep created time and the cleanly struck finish gave Di ­Gregorio no chance.

But City’s advantage was ­cancelled out immediately by a careless ­Ederson, whose simple pass to a ­colleague found, instead, Teun ­Koopmeiners who pounced and beat City’s No 1, whose cheeks went as pink as his strip.

It was as clownish as Pierre Kalulu’s contribution when City regained the lead. A lightning Matheus Nunes run was located by Savinho. The right-back zipped the ball in and Kalulu with no opponent near, panicked and turned the ball in.

View image in fullscreen Calamity for Juventus as Pierre Kalulu turns the ball into his own net to restore City’s lead. Photograph: Amanda Perobelli/Reuters

An own goal, sure, but one forced by a sharper City edge than ­previously witnessed in the ­tournament. Their 60-65% possession count was potent: Aït-Nouri, Doku, Nunes and Omar Marmoush, at centre-forward, swapped zones across City’s front to cause havoc, the latter’s pirouette-then-shot an illustration. Tijjani Reijnders, from deep, joined in too, serving a slicing ball to Savinho who cut inside but dribbled tamely at Di Gregorio.

Then, a serious downpour to cool all. The broiled crowd appreciated it as much as the footballers though the concern in Orange County can be dangerous electrical storms that halt games. But the rain abated, and ­Marmoush’s fierce shot, tipped around a post by Di Gregorio, closed the half.

skip past newsletter promotion Sign up to Football Daily Free daily newsletter Kick off your evenings with the Guardian's take on the world of football Enter your email address Sign up Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Privacy Policy . We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. after newsletter promotion

Now, Haaland entered – for ­Marmoush – and a better-timed stab at Savinho’s cross would have made it 3-1 moments into the second half. The miss spoke of a player who had scored only once from open play in 10 ­previous City appearances. But the statistic became two in 11 soon enough, and completed the ­Norwegian’s landmark third century.

Nunes, again, was provider, his sprint along the right this time ­spotted by Reijnders. The Portuguese rolled to Haaland who miskicked yet City’s third bobbled in, with Di ­Gregorio stranded.

The 24-year-old’s second of the competition had his team cruising. Juve had faded as any kind of force. The contest continued to take part in their half.

On 65 minutes Rodri was taken off – his coming through unscathed a certifiable bonus – and on came Ilkay Gündogan, plus Foden for the effervescent Doku.

Guardiola’s move became seer-like as City’s fourth was scored by Foden. Haaland galloped through an inside-right zone, passed, Savinho pinged to the No 47, who, near-in, collected his second of this Club World Cup calmly.

Vlahovic’s late finish will have annoyed Guardiola – but not for long.

Click here to read article