Randal Kolo Muani scored two of Juventus’ four first-half goals in a dominant 5-0 victory over Al Ain in a Group G match of the FIFA Club World Cup in Washington on Wednesday.
Francisco Conceicao also scored twice, and Alberto Costa and Khephren Thuram each had two assists.
Kolo Muani tallied in the 11th minute and Conceicao followed 10 minutes later. Kenan Yildiz made it 3-0 in the 31st on Juventus’ third shot on goal, and Kolo Muani added a score in the fourth minute of first-half stoppage time.
Conceicao extended the lead to 5-0 in the 58th minute, and Michele Di Gregorio made five saves for the clean sheet.
Juventus’ two U.S. internationals played in the match. Midfielder Weston McKennie started and received a caution in the fifth minute but went the entire contest. Forward Tim Weah entered at the start of the second half.
On Sunday, Juventus plays Morocco’s Wydad AC in Philadelphia while Manchester City faces Al Ain in Atlanta. Manchester City defeated Wydad CA 2-0 on Wednesday in Philadelphia.
It was a pedestrian start until Kolo Muani showed his goal-scoring prowess. Costa sent a pinpoint cross from the right side to the edge of the 6-yard box, where Kolo Muani rose over defender Marcel Ratnik for powerful header.
Kolo Muani had eight goals in 16 Italian Serie A matches during the 2024-25 season.
Costa was the ignitor for the second goal as well, when his pressure forced a turnover in the Al Ain end. He was tripped but got the ball to Conceicao, who dribbled around two players, then had his shot deflect past goalkeeper Rui Patricio, who was making his debut with the United Arab Emirates club.
It was too easy on the Yildiz goal. He had plenty of time and space to pivot and rip a shot from 23 yards that took a bounce before going in off the left post.
Kolo Muani made it 4-0 as he gathered an entry ball from Thuram and scored with the outside of his right foot. Conceicao padded the score in the second half with a rip from the top of the box.
–Field Level Media
