Manchester City‘s preseason tour in the United States began on a challenging note with a 4-3 defeat to Celtic in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Severe weather warnings led to a brief evacuation of the stadium before the match. City fielded a youthful lineup, with only a few veteran players like Erling Haaland, Jack Grealish, and Kalvin Phillips participating.
Celtic’s goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel made his debut, showcasing his skills with several impressive saves in the first half. Celtic’s Nicolas-Gerrit Kuhn opened the scoring, followed by an equalizer from City’s Oscar Bobb. However, Kuhn and Kyogo Furuhashi each found the net before halftime, giving Celtic a 3-1 lead. Bobb later assisted Haaland’s goal, and Máximo Perrone added another for City, but Luis Palma scored the decisive goal for Celtic in the 68th minute.
Celtic’s sharpness and aggressive pressing caught City off guard, reflecting their advantage from having played more preseason matches. City’s squad had only come together recently, contributing to their sluggish performance, particularly in midfield where Phillips was caught out of position, leading to Kuhn’s second goal.
Schmeichel faced off against Haaland, who was eager to make an impact after a break. Haaland was denied twice but managed to score from a header, demonstrating his readiness for the upcoming season.
Bobb’s Potential
Oscar Bobb stood out with a goal and two assists, showcasing his potential. Despite his contributions, he remained focused on improvement, expressing his desire to emulate the consistency of established players like Bernardo Silva and Phil Foden.
Weather concerns caused delays, reminiscent of previous tours where inclement weather affected gameplay. Fortunately, the storm passed without rain, allowing the game to proceed with only a slight delay.
Young Talent on Display
Callum Doyle, who came on in the second half, is expected to join Norwich City on loan after the tour. Several other academy players are also attracting interest, with notable mentions for Yan Couto and Issa Kabore, who are both linked with moves away from the club.
The match served as a platform for Manchester City’s younger players to gain valuable experience, while Celtic demonstrated their readiness for the season ahead.
