Ouarrad blames Wydad FIFA Club World Cup defeat on ‘losing a little bit of focus’
- Dennis Kegengo
- Jun 26
- 2 min read
Wydad AC assistant coach Abdessamad Ouarrad has explained why they failed to beat Al Ain, despite taking the lead in their final 2025 FIFA Club World Cup Group G fixture at Audi Field in Washington, USA, on Thursday.
Both teams knew their fate before kick-off. Even a win would not be enough to see them progress from Group G after losing their first two games. However, Kodjo Laba scored one and had a hand in their second as Al Ain came from a goal down to finish their Club World Cup campaign with a hard-earned 2-1 win over the North African side.
Wydad took the lead when Cassius Mailula powered home an unstoppable shot into the top-right corner, after some superb movement down the right flank. However, Al Ain levelled matters when Ayoub Boucheta’s trip on Adis Jasic resulted in a penalty after a VAR review. Kodjo Fo-Doh Laba stepped up to dispatch from the spot, sending the keeper the wrong way.
The impressive Togolese striker was then involved for the second goal, combining with Matias Palacios to tee up Alejandro Romero, who obliged with a wonderful curling left-foot finish from the edge of the area.
“At the onset of the match, we tried to impose ourselves. We might have lost a little bit of focus, and then there was a penalty kick. Right after we began conceding goals,” said Ouarrad, as quoted by FIFA.com.
Al Ain head coach Vladimir Ivic praised Wydad's performance, saying they were not an easy side. “It’s not easy when you go behind early. First chance they had, they scored and they hit the post.
“It was not an easy moment for our team, but as time passed, we started to be compact, we started to play, and we started to do the things we know how to do. Then we got the penalty, and we came back into the game. In the second half, I believe we could’ve scored more. We missed two or three good chances.”
Wydad finished bottom of their group, without a win, while Manchester City finished top with nine points, and Juventus finished second with six.
