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The Turkish star continues to impress: Juve, led by their No. 10, defeat Wydad 4-1 and now stand as favorites to win Group G
Day 9 of the Club World Cup delivered goals, spectacle, and one standout name: Kenan Yildiz. The 2005-born forward lit up Lincoln Financial Field with a world-class brace in Juventus’ 4-1 win over Wydad Casablanca, leading the Bianconeri to the round of 16 with a game to spare. Manchester City and Real Madrid also booked their place with commanding victories, while Simone Inzaghi’s Al Hilal slipped again with a scoreless draw against Salzburg.
Day 9 Results
| Match | Score |
|---|---|
| Juventus – Wydad | 4-1 |
| Real Madrid – Pachuca | 3-1 |
| Salzburg – Al Hilal | 0-0 |
| Manchester City – Al-Ain | 6-0 |
Juventus-Wydad 4-1: Yildiz carries the Bianconeri
Juventus dominated Wydad and secured progression with a sparkling performance from Kenan Yildiz, who scored twice and was involved in three of the four goals. Following Manchester City’s 6-0 thrashing of Al-Ain, a draw on Thursday will be enough for Juve to top Group G.
Wydad started with intensity, but Juve struck first: in the 6th minute, Yildiz and Thuram combined tightly in the box before the Turkish star’s cross-shot was deflected into the net by Boutouil for an own goal. Ten minutes later, Yildiz doubled the lead with a stunning volley from outside the area into the top corner. Wydad responded, pulling one back through Lorch in the 25th minute after a clever pass by Amrabat and a lapse from Savona.
In the second half, Cambiaso hit the post from a corner and Kolo Muani missed a golden chance from close range, but Yildiz made it 3-1 in the 69th with a composed right-foot finish after a brilliant cutback. The final blow came late, as Vlahovic won and converted a penalty in stoppage time to make it 4-1.
After the match, coach Igor Tudor praised his squad:
«A well-deserved win. Yildiz? A rare talent. Vlahovic also came on with the right mindset».
Yildiz, arguably the face of the tournament so far, enjoyed the spotlight:
«They say it’s a brace, but to me it’s a hat trick—I shot it on that first goal. The second? Probably the best goal of my career».
Match Summary
Juventus-Wydad 4-1
Scorers: 6’ own goal Boutouil (J), 16’ and 69’ Yildiz (J), 25’ Lorch (W), 90’+4 pen. Vlahovic (J)
Juventus (3-4-2-1): Di Gregorio 6.5; Kalulu 6, Savona 5.5, Kelly 6.5; Costa 6 (Gonzalez 76’), Thuram 7, McKennie 5.5 (Koopmeiners 46’), Cambiaso 6.5; Conceiçao 6.5 (Locatelli 76’), Yildiz 8 (Gatti 85’); Kolo Muani 5.5 (Vlahovic 76’)
Manager: Tudor 6.5
Wydad (5-4-1): Benabid 5.5; Meijers 5.5 (Mwalimu 46’), Moufid 5.5, Boutouil 5, Moufi 5.5, Ferreira 5; Amrabat 6.5, Zemraoui 6, El Moubarik 5.5, Lorch 6.5; Obeng 5 (Alsomah 46’)
Manager: Benhachem 5.5
Bookings: Meijers, Ferreira, Thuram
Referee: Martinez (Spain)
Manchester City-Al-Ain 6-0: Guardiola not holding back
Against a timid Al-Ain side, Manchester City displayed their full depth by putting six past the Emiratis. Gundogan opened and closed the scoring with a brace, while Echeverri (free-kick), Haaland (penalty), Bobb, and Cherki completed the rout. Guardiola rotated heavily to rest key players for the upcoming clash with Juventus, which he must win to top the group. With both teams tied on goal difference (+8), Juve lead with 9 goals scored to City’s 8.
Real Madrid-Pachuca 3-1: A champion’s response
Down to ten men after Asencio’s red card in the 7th minute, Real Madrid still found the strength to dominate Pachuca. Led by Bellingham, who opened the scoring in the 35th, Los Blancos doubled their lead with Arda Guler and sealed the game through Valverde in the second half. Montiel’s late goal was only a consolation. It’s the first win of the tournament for Xabi Alonso’s side and a key step toward qualification.
Salzburg-Al Hilal 0-0: Inzaghi under pressure
No goals and few thrills in the goalless draw between Salzburg and Al Hilal. Still without Mitrovic, the Saudis created but failed to finish: Koulibaly cleared off the line, while Marcos Leonardo and Malcom missed big chances. Now Inzaghi’s side must beat Pachuca in the final matchday and hope for a favorable result in the other game to advance to the knockout stage.
Group Standings
Group G
| Team | Pts | GF | GA | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Juventus | 6 | 9 | 1 | +8 |
| Manchester City | 6 | 8 | 0 | +8 |
| Wydad Casablanca | 0 | 1 | 6 | -5 |
| Al-Ain | 0 | 0 | 11 | -11 |
Group H
| Team | Pts | GF | GA | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Real Madrid | 4 | 3 | 2 | +1 |
| Salzburg | 4 | 1 | 0 | +1 |
| Al Hilal | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Pachuca | 0 | 1 | 3 | -2 |
Don’t miss the next round: Juventus vs Manchester City and Salzburg vs Real Madrid will decide group winners, while Al Hilal and Pachuca will battle it out in a do-or-die match.
