Wydad Casablanca set to face Manchester City with SA duo key to Fifa Club World Cup hopes

The Fifa Club World Cup features the top football clubs from each continent.

And with Mamelodi Sundowns proudly flying the South African flag in the United States in their second-ever appearance at the competition, the nation also enjoys strong individual representation elsewhere on the global stage.

Esperance de Tunis are still reeling from their CAF Champions League semi-final exit, having fallen just short of a second consecutive final after losing narrowly to Sundowns 1-0 over two legs. 

Their campaign at the World Cup got off to a tough start as well, as they suffered a 2-0 defeat to Brazilian heavyweights Flamengo.

South Africa’s Elias Mokwana was named on the bench for the Tunisian side, and after Flamengo struck in the 17th minute, Esperance were on the back foot, chasing the game against a formidable team that included Italian midfielder Jorginho, formerly of Chelsea and Arsenal.

Mokwana came on early in the second half, and with his side showing some bright moments following tactical tweaks by head coach Maher Kanzari, they now face the challenge of making up points in their upcoming clashes against Los Angeles FC (Saturday) and Chelsea FC (next Wednesday).

Meanwhile, things are looking different for neighbouring Wydad Athletic Club, who are preparing to open their campaign on Wednesday (6pm SA time) against Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City – a side eager to restore pride following a disappointing domestic season.

Champions of the 2023/24 Club World Cup, City remain packed with world-class talent, and are no strangers to lifting silverware.

But a third-place league finish, 13 points behind title winners Liverpool, was a significant let-down for their fan-base.

With Guardiola integrating a number of younger players into the squad, there may still be a lot of vulnerabilities within their set-up – something Wydad will look to exploit, especially given City’s lack of recent confidence and form.

The Moroccan club themselves ended their Botola Pro League campaign in third place, marking an improvement from their sixth-place showing in the 2024/25 season, which had seen them miss out on CAF Champions League qualification altogether.

South Africa’s Cassius Mailula has played a pivotal role for Wydad, particularly under the tenure of former coach Rulani Mokwena, and is expected to be a key player once more as they take on Manchester City in their opener.

Mailula’s contribution this season has been impressive, featuring in 27 matches, scoring five goals, and providing seven assists.

His sharp form could be crucial against one of the world’s most talented squads, led by arguably the best coach in world football.

Another South African, Thembinkosi Lorch, also represents Wydad.

Despite initially struggling for minutes earlier in the season after being loaned out by Mamelodi Sundowns, Lorch has now found his rhythm.

He is viewed as an important component in Wydad’s plans as their tournament is about to get underway, and he will be an important piece for them as they will also face stiff competition against Juventus and Al Ain in in Group G.