Kevin de Bruyne was the star of the show as Manchester City completed its final tune up before the Community Shield gets the season going, topping J-League side Yokohama FM 3-1 in Japan.
De Bruyne started alongside a strong Man City lineup alongside the likes of what looked to be close to Pep Guardiola’s first-choice formation, with the likes of Raheem Sterling, Kyle Walker, David Silva, and Bernardo Silva all seeing first-half action.
The Belgian scored the opener 18 minutes in, cutting in on his left foot inside the box and punishing the opponent for not closing down. Later, he assisted Raheem Sterling’s 40th minute goal that put City 2-1 up just before halftime with a fabulous long-ball on the break that he timed perfectly to keep Sterling onside and yet allowed the England international to get behind the high defensive line.
That sweet @debruynekev release slotted home by @sterling7 👏
— Manchester City (@ManCity) July 27, 2019
⚪️ 1-2 🔵 #mancity pic.twitter.com/KYn5PsT8Yw
Guardiola allowed his stars to get significant game time, seeing John Stones, Aymeric Laporte and Rodri to complete the full 90 minutes while Sterling and Bernardo Silva played 82 minutes, de Bruyne and Oleksandr Zinchenko saw 75, Walker played 74, and Silva played an hour. 20-year-old Man City youth product Lukas Nmecha came on for the final 15 minutes and picked up a late goal, bundling home an Adrian Bernabe cross with the Yokohama defense somehow unable to reach the delivery.
City now returns home and gets set for the Community Shield against Liverpool on August 4, which is often seen as the starting gun for the new season. The club’s first Premier League fixture comes on against West Ham in London on August 10.
