Manchester City Beats Team K League 3-1 Without Haaland, Rodri

Team K League, the "K League 1 All-Stars," and English Premier League (EPL) powerhouse Manchester City put on a "football show" that cooled fans down amid the midsummer heat.

Team K League lost 1-3 to Manchester City in the first match of the 2026 Coupang Play Series, held at Seoul World Cup Stadium on the 5th.

Team K League has participated every year in the Coupang Play Series, which began in 2022 and is now in its fifth edition. Last year, the team defeated Newcastle United of England 1-0, but this year it faced a formidable opponent in Manchester City and tasted the bitterness of defeat.

Team K League manager Jung Jung-yong deployed a 4-2-3-1 formation, fielding captain Lee Dong-gyeong (Ulsan) at the head of the attack along with Yago (Ulsan), Kim Dae-won (Gangwon) and Mateus (Anyang), with Park Tae-jun (Gimcheon) and Kim Bong-su (Daejeon) in midfield. The defense featured Eo Jung-won (Pohang), Lee Ki-hyeok (Gangwon), Yazan (Seoul) and Kim Moon-hwan (Daejeon), with Song Bum-keun (Jeonbuk) as goalkeeper.

In response, Manchester City, led by manager Enzo Maresca, took the field with a first-team lineup based on a 3-2-4-1 formation. Divine Mubama started at the top, with Rayan Ait-Nouri, Phil Foden, Antoine Semenyo, Tijjani Reijnders in the second line, Mateo Kovacic and Rico Lewis in midfield, Josko Gvardiol, Ruben Dias and Abdukodir Khusanov in defense, and Gianluigi Donnarumma in goal.

Manchester City players wore uniforms inscribed with their names in Hangul. Even in sweltering heat, with the perceived temperature nearing 34 degrees just before kickoff, players from both teams poured out sweat, staking their pride before a crowd of 28,036 fans.

Manchester City showed strong forward pressing from early in the first half and scored the opening goal in just the ninth minute, with Ait-Nouri as the hero.

When Reijnders cut in from the right side of the penalty area and delivered a cross that deflected off Yazan's foot, Ait-Nouri shook the Team K League net with a right-footed shot.

Team K League was not intimidated and quickly netted an equalizer. Yago cut into the left side of the goal area and laid the ball back for Eo Jung-won, who passed it to Kim Dae-won on the left side of the penalty area. Kim Dae-won drove the ball into the left corner of the Manchester City goal with an accurate right-footed shot.

Manchester City, briefly stalled, quickly regrouped and pressured Team K League in search of chances, succeeding in scoring an additional goal in the 20th minute with brilliant passing work in front of goal.

When Semenyo delivered a back-heel pass from the right side of the penalty arc, Reijnders scored with a one-touch right-footed turning shot from the right of the penalty area. With momentum on their side, Manchester City widened the score to 3-1 in the 24th minute. Semenyo's powerful left-footed shot from near the right of the penalty arc was blocked by goalkeeper Song Bum-keun and bounced out, and Mubama pushed it in with his left foot from directly in front of goal.

Having conceded two goals in an instant, Team K League brought on Son Jung-beom, a 2007-born midfielder selected as the "Coupang Play Young Player," in place of Kim Bong-su in the 35th minute to change the mood. Yago attempted a header in first-half stoppage time, but the half ended without additional goals.

Both teams made extensive substitutions in the second half. Team K League brought on 10 substitutes, including goalkeeper Koo Sung-yun (Seoul), Mugosa (Incheon), Lee Seung-woo (Jeonbuk) and Ki Sung-yueng (Pohang), effectively facing Manchester City as a new team.

Manchester City also started the second half by making six changes, bringing on Savinho, Nico Gonzalez, Vitor Reis, Max Alleyne, Stephen Mfuni and Marcus Bettinelli.

In the eighth minute of the second half, following a goal kick from goalkeeper Koo Sung-yun, Kim Ju-chan (Gimcheon) took the ball and charged into the left side of the penalty area, striking a left-footed shot that hit the post and went out, a regrettable missed decisive scoring chance.

In the 17th minute of the second half, Manchester City brought on five more substitutes, replacing all the players who had started the first half.

Team K League conceded a goal to Manchester City's Jeremy Monga in the 29th minute of the second half, but breathed a sigh of relief as the goal was disallowed for a handball.

Team K League prevented further goals late in the second half through a series of saves from goalkeeper Koo Sung-yun against Manchester City's threatening barrage of shots, but ended the match without finding a goal to close the gap.

Manchester City rested players who had played in the North and Central America World Cup quarterfinals or beyond. As a result, Manchester City stars such as Erling Haaland and Rodri were left off the roster for this Asia tour.