By Sachit Subba • Football • Jun 23, 2025 03:27 AM • 86 views
LOS ANGELES, June 23 — Juventus took a significant step toward the knockout stage of the Club World Cup with a commanding 4-1 win over Morocco's Wydad Casablanca on Sunday, thanks to a breakout performance from Kenan Yildiz, who scored twice and was involved in a third as the Italian side remained perfect atop Group G. The 20-year-old Turkish forward lit up the Los Angeles night with a brace that highlighted both finesse and firepower, further underlining his growing influence under manager Igor Tudor. Juventus, now on six points from two matches, sit three clear of Manchester City, who face UAE champions Al Ain later in the day. Should City avoid defeat, Juventus will be assured of progression to the round of 16. But make no mistake — the Bianconeri have taken matters into their own hands.
Fast Start, Fearless Finish
It took Juventus just six minutes to draw first blood. A flowing team move carved open the Wydad defence, and though it was Wydad's Abdelmounaim Boutouil who inadvertently redirected Yildiz's angled effort into his own net, the blueprint of Juve's intent was clear: direct, fast, and ruthless.
Yildiz, however, was just getting started. Ten minutes later, he produced a moment of pure class. With time and space at the edge of the box, he rifled an unstoppable shot into the top-right corner, a strike so venomous that Wydad keeper Mehdi Benabid could only admire it from afar.
But Wydad — who had started brightly despite their opening loss to City — wasn't done yet. In the 25th minute, a poor Juventus clearance allowed Nordin Amrabat to pick out Thembinkosi Lorch. The South African forward stayed composed and lifted a delicate lob over Michele Di Gregorio to give the Moroccan fans a reason to roar — and ignite flares that temporarily cloaked the field in smoke and stopped play.
Juve Survive the Storm
Chasing survival in the tournament, Wydad pressed high after the restart and nearly caught Juventus flat-footed on several occasions. But Tudor's tactical switch — bringing on Dutch midfielder Teun Koopmeiners — steadied the ship. Andrea Cambiasso almost made it 3-1 just before the hour mark with a thunderous volley that crashed off the post. The breakthrough came in the 69th minute, and it was again Yildiz at the heart of it. Receiving a slick pass from Randal Kolo Muani, the Turkish international danced past a defender before slotting in his second of the night — a finish that underlined both technical calm and killer instinct. Substitute Dusan Vlahovic then put the exclamation point on a dominant Juve display, converting a penalty in stoppage time after being clipped in the box by Guilherme Ferreira.
What's Next
Juventus now face Manchester City in what could be a group-deciding clash, though their place in the last 16 could be confirmed even before that. Tudor's men are unbeaten in two months and are starting to show the blend of youthful exuberance and tactical control that could make them a real threat in this revamped global tournament. For Wydad and Al Ain, the route forward is steep and narrow. Both remain without a point and are now clinging to mathematical hope. But Sunday night belonged to Kenan Yildiz — a name Juventus fans will be chanting for years to come.
