Club World Cup 2025: Wydad Casablanca-Al Ain, likely lineups

As predicted on the eve of the Club World Cup, Wydad Casablanca and Al Ain will play Thursday at 9 p.m. Italian time to avoid last place in Group G, both having been eliminated due to defeats against Juventus and Manchester City in the first two days. A draw would see the Moroccans finish in third place, due to the best overall goal difference in a tie.

Guided by Mohamed Amine Benachem, Wydad Casablanca will rely on the physicality of Ghanaian Samuel Obeng in attack, with Nordin Amrabat (elder brother of Sofyan, former Fiorentina player) and Thembinkosi Lorch backing him up. The latter is precisely the only Wydad player to score in this World Cup, in the 1-4 win over Juventus.

The Emirati club, on the other hand, is still looking for its first goal after taking 11 total goals in its first two matches, five from Juventus and six from Manchester City. Vladimir Ivic, coach of Al Ain’Al Ain, will most likely rely on a 4-3-3 with Rahimi, Laba and Zabala in attack, with Korea&#8217s Park Yong-Woo trying to define the geometry in the middle of the field. Behind, watch out for the full-backs, Bosnian Adis Jasic and Malian Abdoul Karim Traoré.

Probable lineups

WYDAD CASABLANCA (3-4-3): Benabid; Ferreira, Boutouil, Meijers; Moufi, Zemraoui, Moubarik, Moufid; Amrabat, Obeng, Lorch. All. Benachem.

AL AIN (4-3-3): Eisa; Jasic, Niang, Rabia, Traoré; Palacios, Park, Nader; Rahimi, Laba, Zabala. All. Ivic.