Al Ain fight back to edge Wydad

Nordin Amrabat of Wydad AC (L) and Ramy Rabia of Al Ain (R) in action during the second half of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 match between Wydad AC and Al Ain in Washington, DC, USA, 26 June 2025. EPA/SHAWN THEW

by Austin Ditlhobolo

Friday Jun 27, 2025. 11:00

Al Ain FC emerged as 2-1 winners over Wydad Athletic Club in their final 2025 FIFA Club World Cup Group G match played at Audi Field in Washington, D.C on Thursday.

Therefore, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) giants finished third in group standings, while Moroccan football powerhouse Wydad slipped down to the fourth spot. Both teams are eliminated from the competition.

It took just four minutes for the Red Castle to break the deadlock after the Boss’ defence was exposed. Fahd Moufid played a cross for Cassius Mailula, who hit the back of the net to hand Wydad a 1-0 lead.

However, Al Ain applied pressure on Wydad and they were awarded a penalty just before half-time. Kodjo Fo-Doh Laba then stepped up and converted the penalty to make it 1-1 heading into the half-time break.

The Boss got off to a bright start in the second-half and they managed to take the lead five minutes after the restart. Matias Palacios set up Alejandro Sebastián Romero Gamarra (Kaku), who found the back of the net to hand Al Ain a 2-1 lead.

Both teams launched attacks in the latter stages of the match, with the Red Castle looking to snatch an equaliser, with the Boss looking to kill off the match, but there were no late goals and ultimately, Al Ain emerged as 2-1 winners.

Wydad (1) 1 (Mailula 4′)

Al Ain (1) 2 (Laba 45’+1, Kaku 50′)

Wydad: Benabid; Moufid, Guilherme, Harkass (Meijers 55′), Boucheta; Zemraoui (Moutaraji 78′), Moubarik (Benktib 78′), Amrabat; Lorch, Mailula (Mwalimu 62′), Soumah (Obeng 62′).

Al Ain: Rui Patricio; Jasic (Al Baloushi 64′), Traoré, Rabia, Benkhaleq; Zabala, Kaku (Chadli 64′); Yong Woo, Palacios (Niang 90’+3), Laba (Nader 87′); S. Rahimi (E. H Rahimi 90’+3).