Morocco’s Wydad Casablanca have been knocked out of the FIFA Club World Cup UAE 2017 by Pachuca.
Finishing the game with 10 men on the field, the African champions began the second round clash brightly – with pace and movement across the front that “bamboozled” the Mexican opposition.
It took 120 minutes to separate the sides, with the No5 heading home after the Moroccan side were forced to play a man light following Brahim Nakach’s red card.
In the later stages of the match, Pachuca dominated with Guzman and Angelo Sagal being the principle threats. Although the Wydad fans inside the Zayed Sports City Stadium were vocal throughout, they showed clear unease whenever the two Pachuca forwards came close to goal.
Clear cut chances were at a real premium for both sides, however.
In the second half, the Casablanca side went close to scoring. An injection of pace down the Wydad left in the shape of Ismail El Haddad almost paid instant dividends, as he burst forward only to see a chipped effort from the left hit the top of the bar – FIFA.com reported.
But any momentum the Africans could build was brought to a halt, when Nakach earned a second yellow card just after the hour mark for a reckless challenge.
With a man down, Wydad bravely fought on and forced the game into extra time.
With eight minutes to go, Pachuca broke the deadlock: A slide-rule Jorge Hernandez pass released Jonathan Urretaviscaya down the right, cutting his cross back to be headed home at the far post by the deserving Guzman.
Wydad, who have won the Morocco league title a record 19 times, CAF Champions League twice and the North African Championship three times, will now play no further part in this year’s FIFA Club World Cup.
Pachuca will lock horns with Gremio in an all-Americas meeting in Al Ain on December 12.
