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Kovacic, Silva on target

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After it took Man City until first-half stoppage time to score from an own goal by defender Marius Hoibraten, Mateo Kovacic and Bernardo Silva struck with shots in a seven-minute spell early in the second half against the Japanese team.

Pep Guardiola 

Man City now will be favoured to beat Fluminense of Brazil in the final on Friday.

“It’s the only title that the club don’t have,” City manager Pep Guardiola said. “The players know how important this game is for all of us at the club.”

Guardiola’s team keeps finding respite in international games during an untypical run in the Premier League where the defending champion has won just one of its last six games while leaking late goals.

A winning Club World Cup debut followed City closing out a perfect six-win streak in its Champions League group this month. City also added a UEFA Super Cup title in August to its storied trophy treble last season of Champions League, Premier League and English FA Cup.

City needed some help to score first Friday when Hoibraten diverted goalward a pass across the goalmouth by Matheus Nunes that was unlikely to find another of the six midfield players in the starting lineup.

Injured Haaland ruled out

With Erling Haaland still ruled out by a foot injury, Guardiola also opted to leave Argentina forward Julian Alvarez on the bench. The biggest cheers during a lackluster first half came when the faces of City stars Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne sitting in the main stand were broadcast on the screens placed high at each end of the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium.