With many top stars resting from the European Championships, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola used the pre-season friendly to evaluate younger talent.
In the match, Nicolas Kuhn scored twice, and Luis Palma netted the decisive goal in the 68th minute, leading Celtic to a 4-3 victory over Manchester City on Tuesday. Norway’s Erling Haaland, donning the City captain’s armband for the first time, equalized in the 57th minute, but Honduran international Palma secured the win with a tap-in on a breakaway at the University of North Carolina’s Kenan Memorial Stadium.
This friendly served as a warm-up for the 2024-25 season for both Celtic, the reigning Scottish Premiership champions for the past three seasons, and Manchester City, the four-time defending English Premier League champions, who are currently on a US tour.
City manager Pep Guardiola took advantage of the absence of several top stars due to the European Championships to assess the younger players.
The match also featured the Celtic debut of goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel, a 37-year-old Dane who started his career with City in 2006. Schmeichel played the first half for Celtic.
German right winger Kuhn scored twice in the first half for Celtic, who were playing their fourth pre-season match.
Trailing 3-1 at halftime, City responded just seconds into the second half with a goal from 21-year-old Argentine substitute Maximo Perrone, who scored with his first touch—a left-footed shot into the far corner.
Haaland then headed in a centering pass from fellow Norwegian Oscar Bobb in the 57th minute to bring City level.
However, Celtic regained the lead in the 68th minute when Palma, who had entered the game just three minutes earlier, completed a three-man breakaway. City’s defenders were caught off guard near midfield after pressing forward.
City substitute Ben Knight came close to equalizing in the 76th minute, but Celtic’s second-half goalkeeper, Finland’s Viljami Sinisalo, managed to deflect the ball over the crossbar.
- Kuhn, Schmeichel stand out –
Kuhn opened the scoring in the 13th minute, receiving a pass on the right side and driving in on City’s starting goalkeeper Stefan Ortega before firing a left-footed shot into the far post.
Schmeichel denied Haaland in the 23rd minute, making a right-hand save on a left-footed shot following a pass from James McAtee.
Schmeichel thwarted Haaland again in the 31st minute, stopping a left-footed shot from the right side with his left hand.
However, City equalized in the 33rd minute when Haaland flicked the ball to the onrushing Bobb, whose shot deflected off Schmeichel and bounced into the goal.
Kuhn responded for Celtic in the 36th minute, driving in from the right wing, pulling back to avoid a defender, and curling a left-footed shot high into the net.
Celtic extended their lead to 3-1 in the 44th minute when Kuhn delivered a perfect centering pass to Japan’s Kyogo Furuhashi, who split two defenders, evaded Ortega, and scored with a left-footed shot from a tight angle.
Manchester City’s US tour continues on Saturday against AC Milan at New York’s Yankee Stadium, with further matches next week against Barcelona in Orlando and Chelsea in Columbus, Ohio.
Celtic will play against Chelsea on Saturday in South Bend, Indiana.
