Juventus vs Wydad Casablanca

Juventus, the Italian giants, are well-positioned to advance from Group G and could secure a spot in the Club World Cup knockout stage with a victory over Wydad AC in Philadelphia this Sunday.

The two sides face off after contrasting starts: Juventus launched their campaign with a commanding five-goal triumph, while Wydad AC fell to Manchester City in their opener. Juventus, who competed in the Intercontinental Cup three times—winning in 1985 and 1996—made their Club World Cup debut on Wednesday, kicking off the revamped tournament with a dominant performance.

Despite qualifying as UEFA’s eighth-ranked eligible team over the past four years, the Serie A side dismantled Al-Ain 5-0 in Washington DC, with four goals coming in a blistering first half. This marked the first time since 2018 that Juventus scored four before halftime. Randal Kolo Muani and Francisco Conceicao each netted twice, Kenan Yildiz added another, and Alberto Costa and Khephren Thuram provided two assists each.

Igor Tudor, recently confirmed as permanent head coach after a solid interim stint last season, couldn’t have asked for a stronger start to Juventus’ U.S. adventure. The Turin club, still navigating a title-less period and off-field challenges, struggled to turn draws into victories last term. Tudor’s mission is to usher in a new chapter, and a win at Lincoln Financial Field this weekend could virtually guarantee their place in the round of 16 before they face group leaders Manchester City next week.

Wydad AC, meanwhile, are chasing their first Club World Cup victory after a draw and three losses in past appearances. This is their third tournament, having qualified through a CAF Champions League win three years ago. The Casablanca side, with a record 22 Moroccan league titles—most recently in 2022—have yet to make a significant impact beyond Africa.

Against Manchester City, Wydad trailed by two at halftime and couldn’t recover, though they created enough chances to show they could trouble their remaining Group G rivals. A second loss, however, would put them at risk of an early exit, potentially relegating their final match against Al-Ain to a meaningless third-place contest.