Julius OkorieHolders Manchester City are on course in their bragging right chase after cruising into the round of 16 at the ongoing Club World Championship in the United States.
The Pep Guardiola tutored side made mincemeat of Al Ain, hitting half a dozen goals past the Abu Dhabi based club in their second group match. Manchester City and Juventus, boast of six points each having recorded two victories in two games. Both thus join Bayern Munich and Flamengo as the four teams that have already booked their places in the round of 16 with a game to spare.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelManchester City and Juventus will lock horns on Thursday in battle of table toppers both teams forge ahead no matter the outcome of their final group stage clash.
Juventus continued their fine form at the Club World Cup with a 4-1 demolition of Moroccan side Wydad AC. Rising star Kenan Yildiz was the standout performer for the Serie A giants, scoring twice and playing a key role in forcing an own goal that capped off a dominant display.
The Italian side had earlier opened their campaign with a crushing 5-0 win over Al Ain, putting them firmly in control of the group and confirming their qualification with six points from two matches.
As for City’s triumph, Ilkay Gündogan scored a brace, while Erling Haaland opened his account for the tournament. Promising youngsters Claudio Echeverri, Oscar Bobb, and Rayan Cherki also found the back of the net in a one-sided affair.
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Al Ain and Wydad AC, having lost both of their opening fixtures, have now been eliminated from the tournament.
Al Ain suffered heavy defeats, 5-0 to Juventus and 6-0 to City, while Wydad managed just a single goal in their 4-1 loss to Juventus after falling 2-0 to City in their opening game. While Man City and Juventus will be playing a game of winners on Thursday, eliminated sides Al Ain and Wydad Casablanca will be playing for pride.
Meanwhile, seven teams, including Ulsan HD, Auckland City, Los Angeles FC, Pachuca, and Urawa Red Diamonds, have now exited the tournament.
Although City and Juve have advanced there is still something to play for on Thursday. Juve boast of goal difference of +8, and top of the group on goals scored, having scored one more than Pep Guardiola’s side.
City have to beat Juventus on Thursday to usurp them in the group when the two sides do battle at the Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida.
Should Juventus win or the match end in a draw then Igor Tudor’s side will finish as Group G winners and City will have to make do with a runner-up spot.
If City win their group they will face the runner-up in Group H in the same stadium in Orlando on Tuesday, July 1, at 2am BST.
If they finish second in Group G then they will play the winners of Group H at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami on Tuesday, July 1 at 8pm BST.
As things stand, Real Madrid sit top of Group H on four points, with Austrian side RB Salzburg also on four points in second place. Saudi side Al Hilal can also still qualify and currently sit third in the table on two points.
Real Madrid face RB Salzburg in their final group game in the early hours of Friday morning, while Al Hilal take on Mexican side Pachuca who have already joined the league of ousted teams.
Julius Okorie is Chief Sports and Entertainment Correspondent for Prime Business Africa. He began his journalism career with the Champion Newspaper and Sporting Champion and later moved on to Daily Independent and the Nation Newspapers. Okorie joined Prime Business Africa in 2024 bringing on board 20 years of experience in writing investigative news on Sports and Entertainment. His well researched and highly informative articles on Sports Business and general entertainment are followed by a wide range of audience.
