The Bianconeri’s record-breaking 5-0 triumph over Al-Ain FC has given Juve fans a glimmer of hope at winning the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup.
A supercomputer predicted that the Serie A side are in with a shot of grabbing glory, and rated Juventus as the ninth most likely team to win the cash-rich competition.
Their five-goal haul was the highest scored by a club on their debut in this competition, and had Juve maintained the momentum from their emphatic opening half they could have hammered the UAE Pro League side.
Wydad AC, serial league winners in Africa, have yet to register victory from their four matches in the Club World Cup finals. They have suffered defeats to Real Madrid (2000), Bayern Munich (2013) and Manchester City (2025).
They held their own during the 2-0 reversal to defending champions Manchester City last Wednesday.
Midfield maestro
Thembinkosi “Nyoso” Lorch impressed. His three shots and seven touches in the box caused the defenders problems, and relentless exquisite passes into the final third kept carving open scoring opportunities.
Yet the Casablanca club are now on a three-match losing streak without scoring. They lost 1-0 in friendlies against FC Porto and Sevilla before suffering the loss to Manchester City.
Juventus finished a disappointing fourth in last season’s topsy-turvy Serie A campaign. The Bianconeri sneaked into the expanded Club World Cup as UEFA’s eighth highest-ranked club over the past four years.
Igor Tudor’s first foray since being appointed permanent boss saw him drop striker Dusan Vlahovic as a starter, preferring Kolo Muani. The Paris Saint-Germain loanee bagged a brace before making way for Vlahovic to get some minutes.
Do-or-die contest
It is expected to be a bruising battle inside Philadelphia's Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday, with another defeat for Wydad AC likely to see them crash out of the tournament before next week’s clash against Al-Ain FC.
Veteran attacking midfielder Lorch could prove tricky to tame for Juventus. The 31-year-old, on loan from South Africa side Mamelodi Sundowns, was fearless against Manchester City in Philadelphia.
Head coach Amine Benhachem was installed last month and chalked up victories in his first four games.
He prioritizes a solid defence, physically strong midfielders and to relentlessly create goal-scoring opportunities through Lorch as well as the Dutch-born veteran wingers Nordin Amrabat and Mohamed Rayhi.
Wydad AC Player Fact
Since Rayhi took over penalty-taking duties this calendar year, he has scored five of the six spot-kicks.
Key Wydad AC Players
Goal assists: Cassius Mailula & Ismail Moutaraji
Goalscorers: Mohamed Rayhi & Oussama Zemraoui
Corners: Ismail Moutaraji
Penalties: Mohamed Rayhi
Wydad AC Group G Games
18 June: Wydad AC 0 Manchester City 2 (Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia)
22 June: Wydad AC vs Juventus (Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia)
26 June: Wydad AC vs Al-Ain FC (Audi Field, Washington D.C.)