Prediction: Juventus vs Wyad Casablanca

Verdict: Total Juventus goals over 1.5

Best odds: 1/2

Bookmaker: 888sport

Italian giants Juventus are in a strong position to reach the knockout stage of the Club World Cup and can seal their progression from Group G with victory over Wydad AC on Sunday.

The two sides are set to clash in Philadelphia, where Juve will aim to build on their emphatic opening-day triumph, while Wydad look to bounce back after a heavy defeat to Manchester City.

Juventus

Having previously triumphed in the Intercontinental Cup in 1985 and 1996, Juventus finally made their long-awaited FIFA Club World Cup debut on Wednesday, and did so in emphatic fashion.

The Serie A giants – UEFA’s eighth-ranked qualifiers – began their Group G campaign with a dominant 5-0 victory over Al-Ain in Washington DC, firing in four goals before half time for the first time since 2018. Randal Kolo Muani and Francisco Conceicao each netted a brace, while Kenan Yildiz added his name to the scoresheet, with Alberto Costa and Khephren Thuram each providing two assists.

It was the perfect start for newly-appointed head coach Igor Tudor, who was confirmed as permanent boss after a steady interim spell last season. After a turbulent domestic campaign plagued by inconsistency and off-field issues, Tudor’s mission is to steer Juventus into a more stable and successful era.

With Manchester City looming in their final group game, Juventus will aim to wrap up qualification for the knockout rounds with a win against Wydad AC at Lincoln Financial Field this weekend.

Team News

Captain Manuel Locatelli could be in line to return from an ankle injury sustained on international duty, while Tudor may consider squad rotation ahead of the crucial City clash. Randal Kolo Muani remains the likely lead striker in the 3-4-2-1 setup, although Dusan Vlahovic is another option up front. The likes of Nicolas Gonzalez, Teun Koopmeiners, Federico Gatti and Douglas Luiz could also come into contention for a starting role.

Only Juan Cabal, backup keeper Mattia Perin, Bremer and Arkadiusz Milik remain sidelined, though the latter two have returned to training and are expected to sit out the tournament.

Wyad Casablanca

Still chasing their first-ever win at the FIFA Club World Cup, Wydad AC fell short in their opening clash against reigning European champions Manchester City and now face a must-not-lose meeting with Juventus on Sunday.

This year’s edition marks Wydad’s third appearance at the tournament, having qualified via their CAF Champions League triumph three years ago. Despite being Morocco’s most decorated club domestically, with 22 league titles including their 2022 crown, they have yet to make a significant impact on the global stage—recording just one draw and three defeats from their four Club World Cup fixtures so far.

Against Man City, Wydad trailed by two goals at the break and ultimately failed to mount a response, but they did manage to create a handful of promising opportunities, showing enough attacking threat to suggest they could trouble both Juventus and Al-Ain in their remaining Group G encounters.

However, another loss on Sunday could effectively end their hopes of reaching the knockout rounds, potentially leaving next week’s fixture with Al-Ain as nothing more than a battle to avoid bottom spot.

Team News

Head coach Mohamed Amine Benhachem is expected to name his strongest available lineup. Veteran winger Nordin Amrabat should retain his place, linking up with South African forward Thembinkosi Lorch, who impressed against Man City with three efforts on goal and seven touches inside the opposition penalty area—performances that have even sparked speculation of an international return.

Mohamed Rayhi, Wydad’s leading scorer in the domestic league last season with 11 goals, is in contention to be promoted from the bench should Benhachem opt for changes, with Toronto FC loanee Cassius Mailula most likely to make way.

Conclusion

Since Igor Tudor took the reins, Juventus have shown greater consistency and a sharper edge in the final third.

That attacking intent was clear to see in their dominant display against Al-Ain on the opening day of Group G, and the Bianconeri should be expected to assert themselves again versus Wydad AC. With their superior firepower and tactical organisation, Juve are well placed to take control of proceedings and score at least twice to seal another comfortable win.

Verdict: Total Juventus goals over 1.5

Best odds: 1/2

Bookmaker: 888sport