Blitz Double by the Turkish Talent
The Turin side continued their winning march in the group stage of the FIFA Club World Cup, sending four unanswered goals into the net of Morocco’s Wydad and allowing the visitors to respond only at the death. The main hero of the night was once again 19-year-old Kenan Yıldız. The midfielder, renowned for his silky dribbling and two-footed shooting, opened the scoring in the first third of the encounter, latching on to a defence-splitting pass from Federico Chiesa. After the break the Turk completed his brace, knocking the ball into the net after it had come back off the crossbar. Thus, Yıldız has now scored in consecutive matches – before Wydad he punished Emirati side Al Ain.
Fantasy Triumph: How the Points Were Distributed
The stellar performance on the real pitch translated into generous dividends in the virtual arena: 12 points in the Club World Cup fantasy league (10 for the two goals, 2 for minutes played). Remarkably, only 5.78% of managers had entrusted the rookie with a place in their squads before the round. Their gamble paid off handsomely – a rare moment when risk is rewarded in full.
Vlahović’s Role: Stoppage-Time Penalty
Massimiliano Allegri introduced Dušan Vlahović only after the hour mark, preferring to keep the Serbian marksman fresh for decisive fixtures. Yet half a spell proved sufficient for the striker to leave his signature on the scoresheet. In the 94th minute the forward weaved past two defenders, drew a foul and confidently converted the resulting penalty. The Serb collected seven fantasy points – not bad for a “joker” coming off the bench. Interestingly, just 38 virtual coaches (0.84%) had placed their faith in him.
Wydad’s Hope: Lorch’s Goal
The Moroccan champions defended deep, relying on swift counter-attacks. One such surge culminated in a pinpoint effort from Thembinkosi Lorch – the midfielder burst into the area and rifled the ball under the bar. The strike served as little more than consolation, but it earned Lorch eight fantasy points. Not a single manager in the fantasy tournament had dared to select the South African, yet he proved the most enterprising player among the defeated side.
Standings Ahead of the Decisive Round
After two matchdays Juventus sit alone at the top of the quartet with six points and an impressive 6:1 goal difference. In the final group fixture the bianconeri will meet Manchester City, who are likewise eyeing a berth in the play-offs. Victory or even a draw will secure first place for the Turin giants – and, with it, a smoother semi-final path. Meanwhile, Wydad will require a miracle and a cascade of favourable results to remain in contention.
Can Yıldız extend his scoring streak, and will Vlahović once again prove decisive in added time? The forthcoming duel promises to be the highlight of the group phase at this Club World Cup.