Kenan Yildiz continued his breakout campaign with a starring performance as Juventus overwhelmed Wydad Casablanca 4-1 at Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday, taking a major step towards qualification for the knockout stages of the Fifa Club World Cup.
The 20-year-old Turkish international was at the heart of everything positive for the Serie A giants, scoring twice and playing a key role in Juve's early opener, which was credited as an own goal by Wydad defender Abdelmounaim Boutouil.
Yildiz, already among the scorers in Juve’s emphatic 5-0 win over Al Ain earlier in the week, now has three goals in two games at the tournament and 12 in all competitions this season.
"I'm happy. It was not easy. It was hot, but it was a good win. At the end our quality came out," said Juventus coach Igor Tudor.
“Kenan has great potential. He has a lot of skills, but more important than skills is his brain. That is the key. A wonderful player, so there is a big future in front of him.”
Juventus now sit top of Group G with six points from two matches and have racked up nine goals in the process. Their place in the last 16 was confirmed after Manchester City beat Al Ain in the other group game.
In contrast, Moroccan side Wydad’s hopes are over following back-to-back defeats, having lost 2-0 to City in their opening fixture.
Backed by a crowd of 31,975, Juventus wasted little time asserting their dominance. The breakthrough came inside six minutes when Yildiz’s low drive, after being teed up by Khephren Thuram, took a slight deflection off Boutouil and nestled into the net.
There was nothing fortunate about the second. In the 16th minute, Andrea Cambiaso drove forward down the left and found Yildiz just outside the box. The winger met it with a sweetly struck half-volley that soared into the top corner – a goal of the highest quality.
Wydad, third in Morocco’s top flight last season, briefly threatened a comeback. Nordin Amrabat’s incisive pass released Thembinkosi Lorch, and the South African winger coolly lifted the ball past Mattia Perin to reduce the deficit before half time.
However, Juve remained in control. Cambiaso struck the post, and Randal Kolo Muani squandered a golden opportunity after fine work from Lloyd Kelly down the left.
Yildiz restored Juve’s two-goal cushion midway through the second half, combining neatly with Kolo Muani before slotting confidently into the far corner. He departed to a standing ovation shortly after.
Dusan Vlahovic, introduced from the bench, added gloss to the scoreline in added time, converting from the spot after being felled by Wydad’s Guilherme Ferreira.
Juventus now turn their attention to a top-of-the-group showdown with Manchester City in Orlando on Thursday.
Fifa to investigate Rudiger abuse
Antonio Rudiger was allegedly racially abused during Real Madrid’s Club World Cup victory over Mexican side Pachuca on Sunday, manager Xabi Alonso said.
Alonso confirmed a complaint had been made after an incident towards the end of the Spanish giants’ 3-1 victory in Charlotte.
Rudiger had clashed with Pachuca captain Gustavo Cabral in injury time but it was not clear if the alleged abuse came from a player or someone in the crowd.
“That’s what Rudiger said, and we believe him,” Alonso told reporters in his post-match press conference. “It is important to have zero tolerance in these kinds of situations. Fifa now is investigating. That’s all I can say.”
Fifa, the world governing body and tournament organiser, has not commented but referee Ramon Abatti had crossed his arms in front of his chest, which signals the activation of the anti-racism protocol.
Real had shrugged off the early sending off of Raul Asencio to claim a victory that took them to the top of Group H.
Asencio was dismissed in the seventh minute for hauling down Salomon Rondon – another blow for Alonso’s side with striker Kylian Mbappe still missing through illness.
But after soaking up a spell of pressure, Real broke the deadlock through Jude Bellingham in the 35th minute before Arda Guler doubled the lead.
Federico Valverde volleyed in a third with 20 minutes left before the Mexicans grabbed a late consolation through Elias Montiel’s deflected effort.
It was Real’s first win of the tournament and took them level on four points with Red Bull Salzburg, who played out a goalless draw with Al Hilal in Washington DC.
Real play Salzburg in their final game of the first stage on Thursday night but, with Al Hilal just two points behind, the group is wide open.
In the other Group H match, RB Salzburg and Al Hilal played out a scoreless draw in a Group H match of the Club World Cup on Sunday in Washington.
Seventeen-time Austrian Bundesliga champions Salzburg had an opportunity to become the first from Group H to advance to the knock-out round but instead sit second behind Real Madrid on goal difference. They face each other in the final group match in Philadelphia on Thursday.
Saudi Po League powerhouse Al Hilal play eliminated Pachuca in Nashville on Thursday.
