The 20-year-old winger played a role in three of the four goals as Juventus won their second match of the group stage
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Juventus defeat Wydad 4-1 in Club World Cup sit atop Group G standingsYildiz scores two as youngster shines
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A brace from Kenan Yildiz powered Juventus to a 4-1 win over Club Wydad Casablanca in the Club World Cup Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. The Turkey international put on a show as the took all three points, eliminating the Moroccan club from the CWC.
Yildiz forced an early own-goal from Wydad to open the scoring, and responded with his first of the game to give Juve a 2-0 lead midway through the first half. The Moroccan side quickly earned a goal back, with South African international Thembinkosi Lorch scoring in the 25th minute. However, the final 45 minutes was all Juventus, as the dominated.
The dagger for the Italian club came in the 69th minute, thanks to Yildiz. A perfectly timed run saw the 20-year-old beat two defenders before cutting in on his right foot and slotting home into the corner of the net to restore their two-goal advantage.
In stoppage time, striker Dusan Vlahovic added a fourth after being taken down in the box and being awarded a penalty kick. The Serbia international slotted home in the bottom right corner.
Wydad, whose traveling fan base built a brilliant atmosphere for the contest, will still play their group finale, but they have no chance of advancing. The , meanwhile, sit atop Group G heading into Matchday 3 on six points.
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Club Wydad finished fifth at the 2017 FIFA Club World Cup, their best performance to date at the tournament. The 2025 competition is Juve's first appearance in the modern version of the tournament.
AFPTHE MVP
Kenan Yildiz: The Turkey international forced the own-goal that opened the scoring, and followed it up with a world-class effort for their second. Their third, his second of the day, was a perfectly-timed run.
He lit up the left flank of the pitch all match and was the best player on the pitch for Juventus throughout.
Getty Images SportTHE BIG LOSER
Tim Weah and Weston McKennie: Weah, who has fallen out of favor at Juventus since Igor Tudor's appointment as coach after the March international break, went as an unused substitute. McKennie, meanwhile, was substituted at halftime after an uneventful first-half showing.
McKennie was on a yellow card, and Tudor sought to avoid a potential accumulation suspension for the U.S. international. Not the best of days for the pair of Americans.
