Man City's Semenyo Scores on Debut in Historic 10-1 Win

Antoine Semenyo couldn't have asked for a better first day at his new job, scoring in Manchester City's stunning 10-1 victory over Exeter City that had fans on their feet at the Etihad Stadium.

The Ghana international joined City from Bournemouth for £64 million this week and wasted no time making an impact. He raced onto a long ball and calmly slipped it past the goalkeeper to mark his debut in style, adding to what became a historic afternoon for the club.

But Semenyo wasn't the only one celebrating a special moment. Rodri, the midfield maestro who's been fighting back from a long-term injury, unleashed a thunderous 25-yard shot into the net for his first goal since May 2024. The Etihad erupted as the beloved player reached a major milestone in his recovery journey.

Young Max Alleyne, who started the month on loan at Watford, opened the scoring with his first senior goal for City after just 12 minutes. The 17-year-old Ryan McAidoo also got his name on the scoresheet, showing the future looks bright at the club.

Rico Lewis had a day to remember with two goals of his own, while Tijjani Reijnders and Nico O'Reilly added to the tally. The 10-1 scoreline matched City's biggest FA Cup win since they beat Huddersfield by the same margin back in 1987.

Sunny's Take

What makes this story special isn't just the goals. It's watching Rodri's face light up after 20 months of grueling recovery work paid off with that spectacular strike. It's seeing young Alleyne and McAidoo getting their breakthrough moments on one of football's biggest stages. And it's Semenyo beginning his new chapter with a goal that'll be replayed at family gatherings for years.

Even Exeter City manager Gary Caldwell found the silver lining, praising City's respect in fielding a strong team. "It's a lesson that when one of the best managers of all time needs to win a game, he picks a team to win it," he said with admirable grace.

George Birch gave the traveling Exeter fans something to cheer about with a beautiful late consolation goal that rattled into the top corner. Those supporters made the long trip to Manchester and got to see their team score at one of football's most famous stadiums.

With a League Cup semi-final coming up midweek, City are building momentum at exactly the right time, and they're doing it while giving young talent a chance to shine alongside new signings and returning heroes.