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PHILADELPHIA: Kenan Yildiz struck twice and played a key role in an own goal as Juventus secured a 4-1 win over Morocco’s Wydad Casablanca in the Club World Cup on Sunday.
The Italian side top Group ‘G’ with six points after two matches, three clear of Manchester City, who play UAE’s Al Ain. Both Al Ain and Wydad have no points.
Juventus started brightly at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field, taking the lead in the sixth minute. Yildiz was instrumental in the opener as his angled shot forced Wydad defender Abdelmounaim Boutouil to turn the ball into his own net in his attempt to block it.
Ten minutes later, Yildiz unleashed a spectacular strike from the edge of the box into the top-right corner to give Juventus a 2-0 lead, but a mistake by the Italian defence gifted Thembinkosi Lorch a goal to reduce the deficit in the 25th minute.
Juve, however, extended their lead again through Yildiz’s brilliance, with the 20-year-old Turkish forward scoring their third goal from close-range in the 69th minute, with substitute Dusan Vlahovic wrapping up their commanding win from the penalty spot deep in added time.
INTER CLAIM FIRST WIN
On Saturday, Inter Milan came from behind to beat Urawa Red Diamonds 2-1 and knock the Japanese side out of the Club World Cup, while Fluminense rallied in the second half to beat Ulsan 4-2 and knock out the South Korean side.
Meanwhile, Monterrey held on to claim a 0-0 draw with River Plate in a prickly Group ‘E’ clash at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena as both clubs maintained their hopes of advancing to the knockout rounds.
At Lumen Field in Seattle, Ryoma Watanabe got an early opening goal for Urawa Reds, who were backed by a noisy contingent of their supporters.
But captain Lautaro Martinez — who got Inter’s equaliser in their 1-1 draw with Monterrey of Mexico in their opening game — repeated the trick to level matters with a clever overhead kick 12 minutes from time.
Valentin Carboni was then the unlikely hero as he grabbed the winner two minutes into injury time.
The 20-year-old Argentine had not played a competitive game since early October after suffering a serious knee injury while on loan at Olympique de Marseille.
Carboni had not made an appearance for Inter in over two years, but he was on to hand to sidefoot home when the ball fell to him in the area.
“Our opponents play with their hearts and to counter that as a team we need to play with more pride, be humble and know how to suffer,” Martinez told broadcaster DAZN.
The result left some Urawa fans in tears and Inter level on four points with River Plate with the two teams meeting next.
“I cannot find the words; I am so frustrated. ... We had the objective to go on to the next stage, so this loss is very hard for us,” Urawa goalkeeper Shusaku Nishikawa said. “But we still have one more game to go ... There are many fans who have come all the way or (are) still remaining in Japan and cheering for us, so we would like to win for them.”
ANDRADA SHINES
At the Rose Bowl Stadium, Esteban Andrada, Monterrey’s Argentine keeper, made a series of saves as the Mexican side held River Plate in a lively draw.
Andrada made vital second-half saves from Franco Mastantuono and Miguel Borja as River Plate were let down by their finishing in a scrappy, foul-ridden encounter with Monterrey, who sit on two points.
Andrada stopped a free kick in the 27th minute by Mastantuono, the 17-year-old midfielder headed to Real Madrid next season.
Lucas Martinez Quarta should have put River Plate ahead from the corner, the central defender pushing his volley across the face of goal. Mastantuono then saw an attempt deflected wide.
In the 76th minute, Andrada smothered Miguel Borja’s dangerous close-range shot after a run into the box.
River Plate finished the game shorthanded when Kevin Castano brought down Nelson Deossa as he attempted to launch a late counterattack, the midfielder sent off after picking up his second booking.
“I saw a clear superiority in many parts of the match. We just lacked the goal,” River Plate coach Marcelo Gallardo said. “Monterrey barely gave us any shots on goal in the second half, (but) I think we left a very good impression.”
The teams traded 40 combined fouls and eight yellow cards throughout a chippy match at the Rose Bowl before a raucous crowd of 57,393, with both teams benefitting from large supporter sections on each end of the famed stadium.
“I think we were hurt a lot by the constant fouls when we came out with the ball,” Monterrey coach Domenec Torrent said. “We had talked about it. River has many qualities. One of them is winning games, and another is committing a lot of fouls, which they did. It becomes a different kind of game.”
Monterrey could still make it into the last 16 if they beat Urawa. River Plate will next face Inter Milan in Seattle on Wednesday.
FLUMINENSE SURVIVE SCARE
In New Jersey, South Korea’s Ulsan gave Fluminense a real scare in their Group ‘F’ clash at MetLife Stadium, leading 2-1 until the 66th minute before the Brazilians ran out 4-2 winners, eliminating the K-League champions in the process.
Colombian striker Jhon Arias put Fluminense ahead with a 27th minute free-kick but goals from Lee Jin-hyun and Um Won-sang gave Ulsan the advantage at the break.
Nonata levelled for the Brazilians in the 66th minute before Juan Freytes put Fluminense ahead in the 83rd minute, slotting home after a scramble in the box.
Keno added a fourth in stoppage time to leave Fluminense on top of the group, level on four points with Borussia Dortmund ahead of their final game against South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns in Miami on Wednesday.
A win or draw for the Rio club in their final group game will ensure their passage into the last 16.
Ulsan goalkeeper Jo Hyeon-woo made a diving stop in the second minute and moments later had a leaping one-hand parry.
“I think we gave it all. Like, we left nothing on the field, so we cannot be anything other than satisfied with our performance,” Ulsan midfielder Gustav Ludwigson said. “We played a very good team, so it’s not only up to us. Sadly, we couldn’t keep up in the second half.”
The game drew 29,321 to MetLife Stadium, which has a capacity of 82,500.
Published in Dawn, June 23rd, 2025
