Lorch Shines As Wydad Lose To Juventus
The Moroccan giants Wydad Casablanca suffered a disappointing 4-1 loss to Juventus in the FIFA Club World Cup on Sunday evening at Lincoln Financial Field.
Despite a promising start, Wydad, who have slim chances now to make it through to the knockout stages following this loss, struggled to maintain their tempo, allowing Juventus to dominate the game.
Wydad started well as South African midfielder Thembinkosi Lorch almost gave Wydad the opening goal in the fifth minute, but his shot was saved by Juventus’ goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio.
However, it was Juventus who scored first, with Kenan Yıldız forcing Wydad defender Abdelmounaim Boutouil to score an own goal in the sixth minute. Yıldız doubled Juventus’ lead with a stunning shot from outside the box in the 15th minute.
Yet, Wydad pulled one back when Lorch clipped the ball over Juventus goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio in the 25th minute, assisted by Nordin Amrabat, to reduce the deficit to 2-1 at halftime.
In the second half, Wydad created scoring opportunities but failed to capitalize, while Old Lady added to their lead with Yıldız scoring his second goal in the 70th minute.
Lorch almost scored his second goal in the 68th minute with a long-range shot that went wide.
Coach Amine Benhachem introduced South African player Cassius Mailula in the 78th minute, who had a positive impact on Wydad’s attack.
Wydad almost scored a second goal in the last minutes of the game from the former Sundowns striker, but Juventus’ goalkeeper made incredible saves to deny Wydad.
But Juventus put the game beyond doubt when Dušan Vlahović netted a penalty in the 95th minute, making it 4-1.
Despite this setback, Wydad still has a slim chance of qualifying for the knockout stage.
They need Al Ain to beat Manchester City tomorrow morning, followed by Wydad beating Al Ain in their next game on Thursday, and Manchester City losing to Juventus on the same day.
Wydad currently sits in third place without any points in Group G, while Juventus leads the group with six points, followed by Manchester City with three points.
Lorch’s performance was a highlight for Wydad, and he will hope to build on this in their upcoming games.
The upcoming match between Wydad and Al Ain will be crucial for the Moroccan giants, and they will need to secure a win to keep their hopes alive.
