Wydad Casablanca’s Club World Cup journey ended in disappointment as they fell 2-1 to Al Ain on Thursday night at Audi Field in Washington.
The result sees the Moroccan champions finish bottom of Group G without a point, as both teams exited the competition following earlier defeats to Manchester City and Juventus.
Wydad made a promising start when South African forward Cassius Mailula gave them an early lead in the fourth minute.
A precise long ball from Nordin Amrabat found Omar Al Somah, who teed up Mailula for a superb top-corner finish past Rui Patricio. Ayoub Boucheta came close to doubling the advantage soon after, striking the crossbar with a fierce drive.
Despite Wydad’s energetic start, Al Ain gradually took control. The Emirati side equalised just before halftime after Boucheta fouled Adis Jasic in the box.
Following a VAR review, the referee awarded a penalty, which captain Kodjo Laba calmly converted to level the score.
Al Ain completed their comeback shortly after the restart. Matías Palacios orchestrated a flowing move before setting up Alejandro Romero for a composed left-footed strike into the top corner. Though VAR checked the goal, it was upheld.
Wydad’s attempts to draw level were met with resistance. Their best chance came in the 70th minute when Mohamed Zemraoui’s shot struck the crossbar, their second of the match. Al Ain could have sealed the win late on, but Laba missed a clear opportunity after good work by Soufiane Rahimi.
Tensions flared late in the game, with Amrabat booked for a scuffle with Palacios. Eight minutes of added time were not enough for Wydad to find an equaliser, sealing a winless exit with a -6 goal difference.
The defeat concludes a forgettable campaign for the North African giants in the expanded Club World Cup format.
