Maresca Secures First Manchester City Win with 3-1 Victory Over K-League All Stars

Enzo Maresca celebrated his first victory as Manchester City manager after guiding the Premier League champions to a 3-1 win over the K-League All Stars in a pre-season friendly in Seoul.

City made a bright start at the Seoul World Cup Stadium, with summer signing Rayan Aït-Nouri opening the scoring inside the opening 10 minutes. The hosts responded almost immediately through Kim Dae Won, but City's quality soon told as Tijjani Reijnders restored the lead before Divin Mubama added a third before half-time.

Maresca named a strong starting lineup as he continued preparations for the new campaign. The opening 45 minutes showcased an attacking approach that created several chances and gave supporters an early glimpse of the Italian's tactical ideas.

The second half was less eventful as both teams made wholesale substitutions, a common feature of pre-season fixtures. The changes slowed the tempo but allowed Maresca to assess several young players and fringe squad members ahead of the Premier League season.

Dutch midfielder Reijnders was among City's standout performers, contributing a goal and an assist, while Mubama continued his encouraging pre-season form with another goal. Aït-Nouri also impressed after opening his City account.

The victory follows City's penalty shootout defeat to Inter Milan in Hong Kong during Maresca's first match in charge. It also forms part of the club's 2026 Asia Tour, which concludes with a clash against Atlético Madrid in Seoul.