Manchester City lost 3-1 on penalties to Inter Milan in the Asahi Super Dry Trophy, as Enzo Maresca took charge of his first game as manager. The match was played in front of 50,000 fans at Kai Tak Stadium in Hong Kong.
Divin Mubama scored the first goal of the Maresca era after being set up by Antoine Semenyo, who beat Andy Diouf before rolling the ball across for Mubama to finish. Inter Milan equalized through Benjamin Pavard. City had the better of the second half and hit the post through young forward Ryan McAidoo, but the match went to penalties.
Claudio Echeverri scored with a Panenka penalty for City, but misses from Rayan Ait-Nouri, Abdukodir Khusanov and Nico Gonzalez meant City finished as runners-up. Several of City's World Cup players were still absent, meaning Maresca worked with a mixed squad for his first game in charge.
The Foden Puzzle
Phil Foden wore the captain's armband and played as a No 10 in a team built around him, following seven weeks off after a difficult season in which he faced sharp criticism. Maresca knows what Foden is capable of and said finding a way to get the best out of him is a priority.
"He's very important, like the rest," Maresca said before the match. "Knowing Phil from years ago, I know how good he is so it's my duty to try to help him to be the Phil that we all want. First of all, to be happy, to play football, for him is the most important thing. And as I said, Phil in a good condition and mood can help us to win games and titles - and that's what we want."
In the first half, Foden struggled to influence the game and lost possession on several occasions. He looked sharper in the second half once Semenyo moved into a central role ahead of him, though he was still below his best. Foden played just under 70 minutes.
Shape Work
Maresca's City did not mirror the approach of predecessor Pep Guardiola. Out of possession, City used an aggressive 4-2-4 high press, with Foden pushed up alongside striker Divin Mubama. In possession, the side shifted to a 3-4-2-1, with Josko Gvardiol anchoring a back three.
The approach was not without problems. Cheap turnovers of possession let Inter Milan counter quickly, exploiting space out wide when City's full-backs pushed forward. In the first half, City's midfield became overcrowded and too much space opened out wide, with Tijjani Reijnders struggling to influence play alongside Mateo Kovacic. Maresca was seen instructing his players to press zonally during the match. Inter Milan created several chances that City gave away themselves.
Left is Best for Antoine
Antoine Semenyo lined up as the left winger rather than on the right, where Guardiola had preferred to use him. Semenyo began his career playing on the right at Bournemouth before establishing himself as one of the Premier League's best players from the left for the Cherries.
Playing on the left against Inter Milan, Semenyo was unpredictable, turning inside and out and troubling Inter's defenders throughout. His burst down the left, most notable in the first half before he was moved centrally after the break, set up Mubama's opening goal after he glided past Andy Diouf. Jeremy Doku is expected to return to the squad, but the performance suggested moving Semenyo should not be a priority for Maresca.
Ryan is Ready
Eighteen-year-old academy forward Ryan McAidoo produced an impressive cameo appearance in the second half. He had Inter Milan defenders off balance with his low centre of gravity and struck the post following a solo run.
Former City winger Shaun Wright-Phillips praised the teenager's performance. "He played as well as Semenyo for me," Wright-Phillips said. "He did more than impress... I loved it."
