Kenan Yildiz continued his breakout campaign with a starring performance as Juventus overwhelmed Wydad Casablanca 4-1 at Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday, taking a major step towards qualification for the knockout stages of the Fifa Club World Cup.
The 20-year-old Turkish international was at the heart of everything positive for the Serie A giants, scoring twice and playing a key role in Juve's early opener, which was credited as an own goal by Wydad defender Abdelmounaim Boutouil.
Yildiz, already among the scorers in Juve’s emphatic 5-0 win over Al Ain earlier in the week, now has three goals in two games at the tournament and 12 in all competitions this season.
"I'm happy. It was not easy. It was hot, but it was a good win. At the end our quality came out," said Juventus coach Igor Tudor.
“Kenan has great potential. He has a lot of skills, but more important than skills is his brain. That is the key. A wonderful player, so there is a big future in front of him.”
Juventus now sit top of Group G with six points from two matches and have racked up nine goals in the process. Their place in the last 16 was confirmed after Manchester City beat Al Ain in the other group game.
In contrast, Moroccan side Wydad’s hopes are over following back-to-back defeats, having lost 2-0 to City in their opening fixture.
Backed by a crowd of 31,975, Juventus wasted little time asserting their dominance. The breakthrough came inside six minutes when Yildiz’s low drive, after being teed up by Khephren Thuram, took a slight deflection off Boutouil and nestled into the net.
There was nothing fortunate about the second. In the 16th minute, Andrea Cambiaso drove forward down the left and found Yildiz just outside the box. The winger met it with a sweetly struck half-volley that soared into the top corner – a goal of the highest quality.
Wydad, third in Morocco’s top flight last season, briefly threatened a comeback. Nordin Amrabat’s incisive pass released Thembinkosi Lorch, and the South African winger coolly lifted the ball past Mattia Perin to reduce the deficit before half time.
However, Juve remained in control. Cambiaso struck the post, and Randal Kolo Muani squandered a golden opportunity after fine work from Lloyd Kelly down the left.
Yildiz restored Juve’s two-goal cushion midway through the second half, combining neatly with Kolo Muani before slotting confidently into the far corner. He departed to a standing ovation shortly after.
Dusan Vlahovic, introduced from the bench, added gloss to the scoreline in added time, converting from the spot after being felled by Wydad’s Guilherme Ferreira.
Juventus now turn their attention to a top-of-the-group showdown with Manchester City in Orlando on Thursday.
Fifa to investigate Rudiger abuse
Antonio Rudiger was allegedly racially abused during Real Madrid’s Club World Cup victory over Mexican side Pachuca on Sunday, manager Xabi Alonso said.
Alonso confirmed a complaint had been made after an incident towards the end of the Spanish giants’ 3-1 victory in Charlotte.
Rudiger had clashed with Pachuca captain Gustavo Cabral in injury time but it was not clear if the alleged abuse came from a player or someone in the crowd.
“That’s what Rudiger said, and we believe him,” Alonso told reporters in his post-match press conference. “It is important to have zero tolerance in these kinds of situations. Fifa now is investigating. That’s all I can say.”
Fifa, the world governing body and tournament organiser, has not commented but referee Ramon Abatti had crossed his arms in front of his chest, which signals the activation of the anti-racism protocol.
Real had shrugged off the early sending off of Raul Asencio to claim a victory that took them to the top of Group H.
Asencio was dismissed in the seventh minute for hauling down Salomon Rondon – another blow for Alonso’s side with striker Kylian Mbappe still missing through illness.
But after soaking up a spell of pressure, Real broke the deadlock through Jude Bellingham in the 35th minute before Arda Guler doubled the lead.
Federico Valverde volleyed in a third with 20 minutes left before the Mexicans grabbed a late consolation through Elias Montiel’s deflected effort.
It was Real’s first win of the tournament and took them level on four points with Red Bull Salzburg, who played out a goalless draw with Al Hilal in Washington DC.
Real play Salzburg in their final game of the first stage on Thursday night but, with Al Hilal just two points behind, the group is wide open.
In the other Group H match, RB Salzburg and Al Hilal played out a scoreless draw in a Group H match of the Club World Cup on Sunday in Washington.
Seventeen-time Austrian Bundesliga champions Salzburg had an opportunity to become the first from Group H to advance to the knock-out round but instead sit second behind Real Madrid on goal difference. They face each other in the final group match in Philadelphia on Thursday.
Saudi Po League powerhouse Al Hilal play eliminated Pachuca in Nashville on Thursday.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Expert advice
“Join in with a group like Cycle Safe Dubai or TrainYAS, where you’ll meet like-minded people and always have support on hand.”
Stewart Howison, co-founder of Cycle Safe Dubai and owner of Revolution Cycles
“When you sweat a lot, you lose a lot of salt and other electrolytes from your body. If your electrolytes drop enough, you will be at risk of cramping. To prevent salt deficiency, simply add an electrolyte mix to your water.”
Cornelia Gloor, head of RAK Hospital’s Rehabilitation and Physiotherapy Centre
“Don’t make the mistake of thinking you can ride as fast or as far during the summer as you do in cooler weather. The heat will make you expend more energy to maintain a speed that might normally be comfortable, so pace yourself when riding during the hotter parts of the day.”
Chandrashekar Nandi, physiotherapist at Burjeel Hospital in Dubai
Black Panther
Dir: Ryan Coogler
Starring: Chadwick Boseman, Michael B Jordan, Lupita Nyong'o
Five stars
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
Jumanji: The Next Level
Director: Jake Kasdan
Stars: Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Karen Gillan, Jack Black, Nick Jonas
Two out of five stars
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
Karwaan
Producer: Ronnie Screwvala
Director: Akarsh Khurana
Starring: Irrfan Khan, Dulquer Salmaan, Mithila Palkar
Rating: 4/5
What is a Ponzi scheme?
A fraudulent investment operation where the scammer provides fake reports and generates returns for old investors through money paid by new investors, rather than through ligitimate business activities.
Squid Game season two
Director: Hwang Dong-hyuk
Stars: Lee Jung-jae, Wi Ha-joon and Lee Byung-hun
Rating: 4.5/5
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
Opening Rugby Championship fixtures:Games can be watched on OSN Sports
Saturday: Australia v New Zealand, Sydney, 1pm (UAE)
Sunday: South Africa v Argentina, Port Elizabeth, 11pm (UAE)
'Worse than a prison sentence'
Marie Byrne, a counsellor who volunteers at the UAE government's mental health crisis helpline, said the ordeal the crew had been through would take time to overcome.
“It was worse than a prison sentence, where at least someone can deal with a set amount of time incarcerated," she said.
“They were living in perpetual mystery as to how their futures would pan out, and what that would be.
“Because of coronavirus, the world is very different now to the one they left, that will also have an impact.
“It will not fully register until they are on dry land. Some have not seen their young children grow up while others will have to rebuild relationships.
“It will be a challenge mentally, and to find other work to support their families as they have been out of circulation for so long. Hopefully they will get the care they need when they get home.”
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Indoor Cricket World Cup Dubai 2017
Venue Insportz, Dubai; Admission Free
Day 1 fixtures (Saturday)
Men 1.45pm, Malaysia v Australia (Court 1); Singapore v India (Court 2); UAE v New Zealand (Court 3); South Africa v Sri Lanka (Court 4)
Women Noon, New Zealand v South Africa (Court 3); England v UAE (Court 4); 5.15pm, Australia v UAE (Court 3); England v New Zealand (Court 4)
