Al Ain signed off their Club World Cup campaign on a high with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Moroccan giants Wydad Athletic Club at Audi Field in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday evening.
Although both teams had already been eliminated from the tournament, pride and a lucrative match bonus were on the line—and it was the Emirati side who made theirs count.
Wydad stunned the crowd early on when South African forward Cassius Mailula opened the scoring in the 4th minute, finishing off a pinpoint cross from Mohamed Moufid to give the North Africans an early lead.
However, Al Ain responded strongly. Just before halftime, a VAR review awarded the UAE club a penalty after a handball in the box. Togolese striker Kodjo Laba stepped up and calmly slotted it past the keeper to level the scores at 1-1.
Al Ain came out stronger after the break, and just five minutes into the second half, Paraguayan international Kaku delivered the decisive blow. His rocket of a shot from outside the box found the top corner, leaving Wydad’s goalkeeper with no chance.
Wydad pushed for an equalizer in the closing stages, but Al Ain’s defense stood firm to secure the win.
The match had added emotional weight for Wydad, as head coach Mohamed Amine Benhachem, recently involved in a car accident, was present on the sidelines using crutches. His resilience mirrored that of his team, but it was not enough to change the outcome.
While both clubs exit the tournament early, Al Ain will take pride in finishing their campaign with a victory, while Wydad will look to regroup ahead of domestic and continental competitions.
