Kaku scores go-ahead goal and Al Ain downs Wydad 2-1 at Club World Cup

Kaku scored early in the second half to lift Al Ain to a 2-1 victory over Wydad on Thursday in the final match of the Club World Cup for both clubs.

AP , Friday 27 Jun 2025,
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Al Ain's Kaku
Al Ain's Kaku, second from right, celebrates his goal with teammates during the Club World Cup Group G soccer match between Wydad AC and Al Ain FC in Washington, Thursday, June 26, 2025. AP

Both teams were already eliminated from contention for the tournament's knockout round. They went into the final group match without a win in Group G, which was dominated by Juventus and Manchester City.

Manchester City defeated Juventus 5-2 simultaneously in Orlando, Florida, to claim the top spot in the group.

Wydad coach Mohamed Amine Benhachem was at the game on crutches following a traffic accident with a team physician earlier in the week. No one involved in the accident was seriously injured, but the Moroccan coach was unable to attend the team's news conference the day before the match.

Wydad scored in the fourth minute. Cassius Mailula found himself unchallenged at the end of a cross by Mohamed Moufid and beat goalkeeper Rui Patrício at the near post. Mailula is currently on loan to Wydad from Toronto FC in Major League Soccer.

Kodjo Laba converted a penalty just before halftime to pull Al Ain even.

Al Ain took the lead in the 50th minute when Paraguayan international Kaku finished into the upper right corner. Wydad centerback Jamal Harkass was injured in the run-up to the goal and had to be taken off on a stretcher.

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