Maresca's first Man City game ends in shootout loss to Inter in Hong Kong

Enzo Maresca's first game in charge of Manchester City ended in a 1-1 draw and a shootout loss to Inter Milan. City went down 3-1 on penalties after a lively preseason friendly in Hong Kong. Phil Foden wore the captain's armband and got a show of faith from the new boss after a difficult campaign. City started brightly, with Divine Mubama turning in Antoine Semenyo's cross from the left in the 14th minute. Benjamin Pavard equalized six minutes later. No one could find a winner from open play, though Rayan McAidu kept causing problems for the Inter defense. The shootout proved decisive, and City's chances slipped away when Nico González, Abdukodir Khusanov and Rayan Aït-Nouri all missed from the spot, sealing a 3-1 win for Inter. Maresca refused to be downbeat, focusing instead on fitness. "There are a lot of positives, especially for the legs, which is very important at this stage. In two weeks we have our first official game, so we need to get the legs and body ready as well as performing well. There are things we can do better, but we will improve gradually." He also felt Inter's earlier start to preseason showed. "They began ten days before us, and at this stage you can feel that. In the second half, after the changes, we looked better," the Italian said. Maresca had special praise for McAidu. "He is the type of winger I like: aggressive, willing to take players on. When I was at Leicester and Chelsea, those seasons produced record numbers of academy debuts. If they play well, they will not have any problems with me." City's Asia tour continues Wednesday against a K League All Stars side in Seoul, followed by a game with Atletico Madrid in South Korea on August 9. The first competitive fixture is set for August 16, with a Community Shield meeting against Arsenal to follow before the Premier League season opens at home to Bournemouth on August 23.