Pep Guardiola handed debuts to Stefan Ortega, Julian Alvarez and Kalvin Phillips as Manchester City began their 2022 pre-season by beating Club America 2-1.
While the attention was on the new players, it was old reliable Kevin De Bruyne who accounted for both Man City goals. The team captain pushed up from his attacking midfield position to create his own shot on the first goal, and then he ran onto a ball from Riyad Mahrez and ‘megged the ‘keeper just before halftime.
Three Man City players who did manage to make their debuts were former River Plate star Julian Alvarez, goalkeeper Stefan Ortega, and Kalvin Phillips, who started at center back before moving into his preferred central midfield spot. Alvarez was the center forward at the opening whistle, but didn’t get any good looks as De Bruyne claimed the headlines with his trademark runs from midfield.
Haaland’s debut could come against his former Bundesliga nemesis Bayern Munich on Saturday, July 23 at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Manager Pep Guardiola indicated as much after the 2-1 win over Club America:
“Next game he’ll be ready,” reads a quote on the club’s official site. “He had niggles, we don’t want to take risks. Maybe against Bayern, we will see … The season is so long; we will have time, don’t worry.”
With all the buzz around the new kids to join the club, Kevin De Bruyne showed why he wears the captain’s armband for City. He’s as opportunistic as midfielders come, sensing the moment to push up and usually making it count.
Those instincts made De Bruyne the highest scoring midfielder in the Premier League in 2021/22 and his 15 goals didn’t come with a single penalty conversion. Club America became his latest victim on Wednesday.
