Wydad show fight but Man City cruise in Club World Cup opener
Moroccan giants Wydad Casablanca were handed a difficult introduction to the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup as they fell 2-0 to English side Manchester City in their opening Group G match in Orlando on Wednesday.
An early strike from England star Phil Foden and a clinical finish by Belgian winger Jérémy Doku ensured a winning start for Pep Guardiola’s men, who are aiming to retain the global crown they lifted last year.
Wydad showed flashes of their quality in the first half but were ultimately undone by City’s fast start and depth of talent.
The match had barely begun when City went ahead. A teasing delivery from Rayan Cherki caught Wydad goalkeeper El-Mehdi Benabid off guard, and the loose ball fell kindly for Foden, who calmly tapped in his first goal for the English champions in almost six months.
Omar Marmoush, City’s Egyptian forward leading the line ahead of the rested Erling Haaland, came close to doubling the lead in the ninth minute with a low strike that whistled past the post.
Wydad’s first real effort came from Cassius Mailula, who tested Ederson from long range. Moments later, the South African forward found himself in the referee’s book after a strong challenge on Marmoush.
Despite going behind early, the Moroccans showed their resilience. Ayoub Zamrouai fluffed a promising opportunity after good work from Mailula on the right, while Thembinkosi Lorch forced a smart save from Ederson after a neat exchange on the edge of the box.
Nordin Amrabat, Wydad’s experienced attacker, looked to drive his team forward but struggled to find consistent support against City’s well-organised midfield.
But just when Wydad seemed to grow into the game, City struck again.
With three minutes left before the break, Foden turned provider, delivering a corner that found Doku unmarked. The winger made no mistake, rifling into the net to give the Premier League side a two-goal cushion.
Wydad nearly responded through Lorch before the break, but his curling shot missed the target, and City went into the dressing room with full control of the contest.
Doku nearly grabbed a second after the interval, capitalising on a poor back-pass to go one-on-one with Benabid. The Wydad shot-stopper stood tall, blocking the effort before Doku’s follow-up was deflected wide.
Guardiola then rang the changes, introducing Oscar Bobb, Rodri and Haaland just after the hour mark. Marmoush was also replaced by Germany’s Ilkay Gündogan, with City opting for control over aggression.
As the game wore on, the Orlando heat slowed the tempo. Wydad, though still spirited, created little of note, while City focused on managing the result.
In the dying minutes, 19-year-old Rico Lewis was sent off for a reckless tackle on Ghanaian midfielder Samuel Obeng, reducing City to 10 men. But the damage had already been done, and Manchester City held on for a deserved win.
Wydad must now regroup ahead of a tough clash against Italian giants Juventus. For City, a meeting with Al Ain of the UAE follows, in what will be a high-profile clash for African fans given the presence of stars like Rami Rabia and Omar Marmoush.