City Cruise Past Wydad in Club World Cup Opener Behind Foden-Doku Brilliance
In the stifling heat of Lincoln Financial Field, even a rotated Manchester City side had more than enough firepower to dispatch Morocco's Wydad Casablanca, cruising to a 2-0 win in their Group G opener at the FIFA Club World Cup on Wednesday. Early goals from Phil Foden and Jeremy Doku sealed the deal before halftime, and although the match tapered off in intensity, City's control never wavered — even after going down to ten men late on. Pep Guardiola, playing the long game with this tournament's demanding schedule, left several first-choice names — including Erling Haaland, Rodri, and Bernardo Silva — on the bench. But in a reminder of City's absurd depth, his second string didn't miss a beat. **Early Strike Sets the Tone** It took all of 86 seconds for City to open their Club World Cup account. Savinho's cross, aimed low and with pace, was spilled by Wydad keeper Mehdi Benabid. Foden, alert as ever, pounced on the loose ball and rifled home with a first-time strike that left the Moroccan defence shell-shocked. The goal set the tone for the rest of the first half — City crisp and clinical in possession, Wydad reactive but dangerous on the break. The African champions nearly stunned the crowd in the 15th minute when forward Cassius Mailula attempted a bold lob from midfield, catching Ederson off his line but missing just high. Minutes later, Thembinkosi Lorch came within inches of converting Mohamed Moufid's low cross, sliding in at full stretch but narrowly missing contact. **Doku Doubles the Lead** What is the City's response? Ruthless. Just before the interval, Foden turned provider, whipping in a curling corner that eluded everyone except Jeremy Doku at the far post. The Belgian winger timed his volley to perfection, smashing it home to make it 2-0 and effectively extinguish Wydad's hopes of a comeback.  **Second Half Slows, Red Card Adds Drama** With temperatures soaring into the mid-30s Celsius, the second half took on a more pedestrian pace. Guardiola made changes — introducing Rayan Cherki and eventually Haaland — while Wydad pressed higher but lacked bite in the final third. Cherki, making his club debut after a €40 million move from Lyon, nearly announced himself with a goal, his curling effort from distance drawing a sharp save from Benabid. Haaland, eager to add his name to the scoresheet, was denied late on in a one-on-one by the inspired Moroccan keeper. City's night ended on a sour note when Rico Lewis was shown a straight red card in the 88th minute for a reckless studs-up tackle on Samuel Obeng. Although the challenge sparked brief protests, it had little impact on the final outcome. **What's Next** City, level on points with Juventus but behind on goal difference, will face Al-Ain on Sunday in Atlanta — a match that could secure their place in the knockout stage. Wydad, meanwhile, faces a must-win clash against the Italian giants in Philadelphia on the same day. Guardiola may have gambled with his squad rotation, but his team's class shone through — another efficient step forward in City's global conquest. **Next Fixtures:** Manchester City vs Al-Ain – Sunday, June 22 (Atlanta) Wydad Casablanca vs Juventus – Sunday, June 22 (Philadelphia)
