Croatian Midfielder Fills Rodri’s Shoes With a Brace to Lead City to 3-2 Victory
Pep Guardiola expressed his delight as Mateo Kovacic stepped up in the absence of Rodri, scoring twice in Manchester City’s thrilling 3-2 comeback win over Fulham at the Etihad Stadium. The Croatian midfielder, filling in for the injured Rodri, delivered two crucial goals as City overturned an early deficit to secure the three points in Saturday’s Premier League encounter.
Fulham took a surprise lead through Andreas Pereira, but Kovacic turned the game around with a goal on either side of halftime. Guardiola praised the 30-year-old for his offensive contribution, which has typically been outside his usual role.
“I’m very happy he scored two goals,” Guardiola said. “He’s not a guy who usually scores. Maybe he’s taken inspiration from Rodri, seeing the goals he has scored from that position. Fulham’s five-man defense left him free in the box, and Kova took advantage. His first goal was brilliant, and the second one was just as good.”
Kovacic’s goals came at pivotal moments, helping City regain control after Fulham’s early opener. Reflecting on his performance, Kovacic told the BBC: “It means a lot because my wife is pregnant, so it was great to get some goals for the little one. It’s nice to score, but the most important thing is the team and that we won.”
The match remained tense as Fulham, led by a dangerous Adama Traore, continued to threaten City’s defense. Traore missed several key chances, but Jeremy Doku’s stunning strike made victory safe for the hosts before Rodrigo Muniz scored a late consolation for Fulham.
Guardiola acknowledged the challenge posed by Fulham and praised their resilience. “It was a tough game. Adama Traore was unstoppable – impossible to control. They played really well under Marco Silva, and they’re getting better.”
With Rodri sidelined for the remainder of the season, Guardiola will be pleased to see Kovacic rise to the occasion as City continue their push for the Premier League title.
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