Yildiz double powers Juventus to 4-1 victory over Wydad Casablanca
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 later on Sunday. 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.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CNA
an hour ago
- CNA
On brink of making history, Inter Miami to go all in against Palmeiras
MIAMI :Inter Miami have no intention to play for a draw when they face Palmeiras in their final Group A game at the Club World Cup on Sunday, a result that would send both teams into the knockout stages. It would be a massive achievement for Inter Miami, who beat Porto and drew against Al Ahly in their first two games. Palmeiras are top of the group on four points, ahead of Miami on goal difference with Porto and Al Ahly both on one point. All four teams can still qualify for the last 16 but only Miami and Palmeiras have their fate in their hands. Palmeiras need a draw to qualify top of the group. The group winners will face the second-placed team in Group B, currently led by Botafogo with six points while Champions League winners Paris St Germain are second on three points. KEY QUOTES: Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano: "We're facing possibly one of the most important games in the history of our club. Above all, let that fill us with enthusiasm to be able to play it, let it not be a burden, not a burden, but an excitement and a challenge for this group of players who are also doing well up until now. "It would be a big mistake if we went into it thinking about not playing it and only about the result. I think that when you think about the result and don't go into it, certain things can happen during the game that make it very difficult to get back into the game. In the end, our idea is to go and win the game like we've always done, like every time we go into a game, whether it's in the Club World Cup, MLS, the Champions League, or any other competition we're involved in."
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
On brink of making history, Inter Miami to go all in against Palmeiras
On brink of making history, Inter Miami to go all in against Palmeiras MIAMI - Inter Miami have no intention to play for a draw when they face Palmeiras in their final Group A game at the Club World Cup on Sunday, a result that would send both teams into the knockout stages. It would be a massive achievement for Inter Miami, who beat Porto and drew against Al Ahly in their first two games. Palmeiras are top of the group on four points, ahead of Miami on goal difference with Porto and Al Ahly both on one point. WHY IT'S IMPORTANT All four teams can still qualify for the last 16 but only Miami and Palmeiras have their fate in their hands. Palmeiras need a draw to qualify top of the group. The group winners will face the second-placed team in Group B, currently led by Botafogo with six points while Champions League winners Paris St Germain are second on three points. KEY QUOTES: Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano: "We're facing possibly one of the most important games in the history of our club. Above all, let that fill us with enthusiasm to be able to play it, let it not be a burden, not a burden, but an excitement and a challenge for this group of players who are also doing well up until now. "It would be a big mistake if we went into it thinking about not playing it and only about the result. I think that when you think about the result and don't go into it, certain things can happen during the game that make it very difficult to get back into the game. In the end, our idea is to go and win the game like we've always done, like every time we go into a game, whether it's in the Club World Cup, MLS, the Champions League, or any other competition we're involved in." REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
From fallen giants to giant-killers: Botafogo's remarkable revival
Soccer Football - FIFA Club World Cup - Group B - Paris St Germain v Botafogo - Rose Bowl Stadium, Pasadena, California, U.S. - June 19, 2025 Botafogo players celebrate after the match IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters/Kirby Lee REUTERS Once Brazilian football royalty, Botafogo had languished for decades as a debt-ridden sleeping giant before they toppled Paris St Germain at the Club World Cup to cap a resurrection tale three years in the making. When American entrepreneur John Textor acquired the club in 2022, fresh from their promotion back to Brazil's first division, he took on a training ground so decrepit that then-coach Luis Castro dismissed it as "good for parking cars," alongside crushing liabilities exceeding one billion reais ($181.39 million). Botafogo were a storied but shattered institution. The club that once nurtured Brazilian greats - Garrincha, Zagallo, Jairzinho and Nilton Santos, architects of three World Cup triumphs - was drowning in debt, having endured the humiliation of relegation three times in just over a decade. On Thursday, they outplayed European champions Paris St Germain to win 1-0 in the Club World Cup's most eye-catching upset, propelling themselves to the top of the tournament's "group of death" and on the verge of the knockout stage. Their squad, assembled through shrewd bargain-hunting in football's forgotten corners, now faces Diego Simeone's Atletico Madrid in Los Angeles on Monday, sitting comfortably, knowing even a two-goal defeat would still secure their passage to the round of 16. The victory over PSG vindicated Textor's vision, outlined in a Reuters interview three years prior, of "beating the system" through astute scouting in under-explored talent pools. The architects of Thursday's victory exemplified this approach. Match-winner Igor Jesus arrived as a free agent after three anonymous years in the UAE and was transformed into a Brazil international. Argentine defender Alexander Barboza, who neutralised PSG's vaunted attack, was plucked from Paraguay's Club Libertad for nothing. Captain Marlon Freitas came from second-division Atletico Goianiense, while experienced European campaigners Alex Telles and Allan were revitalised after spells in Middle Eastern leagues. Gregore, Jefferson Savarino, John and Cuiabano were all signed for under two million euros ($2.30 million) each. "The goal is to be sustainably competitive every year," Botafogo CEO Thairo Arruda told Reuters. "With a top six payroll, we produce like a top three." The transformation extends far beyond the pitch. Revenues have soared from 140 million reais in 2022 to projected earnings exceeding 1.1 billion by 2025, while liabilities have been slashed by 40%. Textor's Eagle Football empire also encompasses stakes in Ligue 1's Olympique Lyonnais and Premier League Crystal Palace. Botafogo's renaissance - crowned by last year's domestic and continental double - has breathed new life into a club motto once heavy with self-pity: "There are things that only happen to Botafogo." After outclassing Europe's elite, those words now carry an altogether sweeter resonance. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
