Wydad Casablanca's FIFA Club World Cup campaign concluded without a single point after they fell to a 2-1 defeat against Al Ain on Thursday evening.
The result sees the Moroccan giants finish at the bottom of Group F, a disappointing outcome for a club with their pedigree.
In a tactical move to spark their attack, South African striker Cassius Mailula was restored to the Wydad starting lineup, joining his compatriot Thembinkosi Lorch up front.
This decision quickly paid dividends as Mailula, the former Mamelodi Sundowns marksman, made an immediate impact.
Just four minutes into the game, Mailula latched onto a precise cross from Mohamed Moufid, unleashing a powerful strike from inside the box that found the back of the net, giving Wydad an early lead and his first goal of the tournament.
Al AIN’S EQUALISER BEFORE HALF-TIME
However, Al Ain found a crucial equalizer just before halftime. Following a VAR intervention, the UAE club was awarded a penalty, which Kodjo Fo-Doh Laba calmly converted to level the score at 1-1.
The second half saw Al Ain complete their turnaround swiftly, with Alejandro Romero scoring an impressive first-time finish from the edge of the box just five minutes after the restart.
This decisive goal proved to be enough for Al Ain to secure the victory and claim third spot in their group, leaving Wydad to reflect on a challenging global tournament.
Mailula's goal marked another South African contribution for Wydad in the competition, as Thembinkosi Lorch had already scored in their second group stage match, which was against Juventus.
