Soccer Exhibition at Yankee Stadium Feels Like a Rehearsal It was a preliminary rendering for curious observers, a rough sketch of one possible future for soccer in New York City. Manchester City defeated Chelsea, 5-3, in a rollicking exhibition game Saturday at Yankee Stadium. The match, between two powerhouse English clubs, was cast officially as a friendly at a neutral site, a no-stakes contest played shortly after the conclusion of the Champions League final in London. But over the last week the game took on another level of intrigue. On Tuesday came news that Manchester City would join with the Yankees to buy a team in Major League Soccer, named New York City Football Club, that is expected to begin play in the 2015 season. The site of the team's stadium has yet to be determined, and Randy Levine, the Yankees" president, said this week that the baseball stadium could serve as a temporary home. Saturday's game, then - only the third soccer game to be hosted by the Yankees since 1976 - felt like a trial run for the possibility that a soccer team could call the stadium home, even for a short time. That all left Manchester City playing a home game of sorts in front of an announced crowd of 39,462. The soccer lines on Saturday were arrayed diagonally across the ball field. One goal was placed in front of the left-field wall, the other down the first-base line, in foul territory. Grass was stitched together over patches of dirt in the infield. "They've done wonders," Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart said about the field. Hart, who after the game wore a Yankees cap backward, added: "It's really exciting. M.L.S. is growing and growing and growing. And for Manchester City, it's the same thing: we're growing as well. As "Fanfare for the Common Man" played over the speakers, the Manchester City players strolled onto the field wearing New York City F.C. shirts over their uniforms. Once the game began, the tenor of play was established as congenial. Footwork and trickery predominated over physical play. Gareth Barry punished a Chelsea defensive miscue to start the scoring in the game's opening minutes, and about a half-hour later, Samir Nasri doubled the lead for City with a stylishly nonchalant chip. Around the stadium, fans of Chelsea, which has had more success in England, appeared to slightly outnumber the Manchester City fans. But buoyed by its recent ascension, City was well represented, too. At Stan's Sports Bar on River Avenue, where a sign reads, "Home of the Yankee Die Hards," City fans were clustered before the game near a sky blue banner. There, about two dozen members of the New York chapter of the team's fan club were drinking beer and watching the Champions League final. While excited to see their team play in person, they were also excited about the Manchester City-Yankees partnership. "I'll absolutely be the first on line for season tickets," said Barry O'Driscoll, a Manchester native who has lived in the New York area since 1996. Maybe they'll wear pinstripes for their away uniforms. With their club having lived in the shadow of its more successful crosstown rival, Manchester United, City fans said that having an associated M.L.S. team was a point of pride. "The team's profile globally is bound to grow, and the U.S. is an untapped market," said Michael Warren, the president of the supporters" club. It's an automatic for us to have a local team. For all their excitement, the fans" current sports loyalties hinted at some potential conflicts that might emerge once New York F.C. inserts itself in the city's professional sports landscape. Standing near his seats on the third-base line, Omar Fermin, 37, a Manchester City fan from Brooklyn, said he was a fan of the Red Bulls and conceded there was a decision to be made soon. "I don't know how that will work out," he said, laughing. Shawn Gilligan, 26, a City supporter from Albany, smiled nervously as he revealed he was a Mets fan. "It kills me that they partnered with the Yankees," he said. On the field, the attractive, free-form play continued into the second half. Chelsea scored within the first minute of the half when Ramires, a Brazilian midfielder, waltzed around goalkeeper Richard Wright. Ten minutes later, James Milner scored for City, finishing a neat passing combination on the right side. Ramires tallied again for Chelsea in the 69th minute, nestling home a cross from close range. But Nasri executed another skillful chip shot five minutes later to make the score 4-2. In the 82nd minute, Chelsea's Juan Mata curled a free kick into the net off the underside of the cross bar. City's response came two minutes later, when Edin Dzeko sent a skipping shot in from far range. When it was over, "New York, New York" played over the loudspeakers as the players traded shirts. It was a scene that may be repeated in the near future. Ken Belson contributed reporting.