Celtic secured a 4-3 victory against Manchester City in a captivating pre-season friendly held at the University of North Carolina’s Kenan Memorial Stadium on Tuesday. The match saw Nicolas Kuhn score twice, with Luis Palma netting the decisive goal in the 68th minute.
Erling Haaland, donning the captain’s armband for Manchester City for the first time, equalized in the 57th minute, only for Palma to score the winning goal on a breakaway shortly after. The friendly served as a preparatory fixture for both teams ahead of the 2024-25 season, with Celtic aiming for another Scottish Premiership title and Manchester City, the four-time defending English Premier League champions, kicking off their US tour.
City manager Pep Guardiola took advantage of the match to evaluate younger talent, resting several key players from the European Championships. The game also marked the debut of 37-year-old Danish goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel for Celtic, who played the first half.
Celtic’s German right wing, Kuhn, shone brightly, netting a first-half brace. Despite being down 3-1 at halftime, City responded swiftly in the second half. Just-inserted Argentine substitute Maximo Perrone scored with his first touch of the ball, a left-footed shot from the right side into the far corner. Haaland then leveled the score by heading in a centering pass from Oscar Bobb in the 57th minute.
However, Celtic regained the lead in the 68th minute when Palma, who had entered the game only three minutes earlier, finished a three-man breakaway. City substitute Ben Knight was close to an equalizer in the 76th minute, but his effort was thwarted by Celtic’s second-half goalkeeper Viljami Sinisalo of Finland, who knocked the ball over the crossbar.
Key Moments of the Match
- Kuhn’s Brilliance: Nicolas Kuhn opened the scoring for Celtic in the 13th minute with a left-footed shot just inside the far post. He later added another goal in the 36th minute with a curling blast high into the goal.
- Schmeichel’s Heroics: Kasper Schmeichel made notable saves, denying Haaland in the 23rd and 31st minutes with impressive stops.
- City’s Comeback: Manchester City equalized in the 33rd minute through Oscar Bobb after a deflection off Schmeichel. Maximo Perrone and Haaland’s goals brought City level early in the second half.
- Palma’s Decider: Luis Palma’s 68th-minute goal on a breakaway sealed the victory for Celtic.
Upcoming Fixtures
Manchester City continues their US tour with a match against AC Milan at New York’s Yankee Stadium on Saturday, followed by games against Barcelona in Orlando and Chelsea in Columbus, Ohio. Celtic is set to face Chelsea on Saturday in South Bend, Indiana.
This match provided both teams with valuable insights and preparation as they gear up for their respective domestic and international campaigns in the upcoming season.
