Man City defeats K-League All-Stars 3-1 in sweltering Seoul friendly

Despite sweltering temperatures reaching 31 degrees Celsius (33 degrees Celsius perceived), over 28,000 football fans gathered at the Seoul World Cup Stadium to witness a friendly match between English Premier League club Manchester City and a K-League All-Star team.

The match, part of the Coupang Play Series, was the first time Manchester City, who previously visited South Korea in 1976 and 2023, faced a team composed of K-League players. However, the stadium was not full, with noticeable empty seats, possibly due to the absence of star players like Rodri and Erling Haaland, and the extreme heat.

Fans came prepared for the heat, armed with fans and portable cooling devices, cheering enthusiastically for the players. Manchester City took an early lead in the 8th minute with a goal from Ryhan Ait-Nouri. The K-League team equalized in the 12th minute through Kim Dae-won, but City quickly regained the advantage with goals from Tijjani Reijnders in the 20th minute and Mahamadou Mubama in the 23rd minute, securing a 3-1 victory.

To ensure player safety in the heat, both halves included approximately three-minute hydration breaks, similar to World Cup protocols. Manchester City is scheduled to play against Atletico Madrid, featuring Korean player Kang-in Lee, on August 9th at the same venue.

Manchester City's Mubama expressed anticipation for the next match, stating, "We expect a tough game (on the 9th) but will show more activity and movement than today. Thank you to the Korean fans for their great love and support."

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We expect a tough game (on the 9th) but will show more activity and movement than today. Thank you to the Korean fans for their great love and support.