Thembinkosi Lorch found the net for Wydad Casablanca in their 4-1 loss to Juventus at the Club World Cup on Sunday, becoming the Moroccan side’s first-ever goalscorer in the competition.
Despite the heavy defeat, the South African forward took a moment to acknowledge the personal significance of his contribution.
Lorch’s goal briefly reignited hope for Wydad after Juventus had surged to a 2-0 lead in the first half.
His well-taken strike narrowed the deficit and gave Mohamed Benhachem’s side a lifeline.
However, the Italian giants ultimately proved too strong, adding two more goals after the break to put the result beyond doubt.
Speaking after the match, Lorch was candid about his mixed emotions. “It’s a personal pride, of course. But the focus remains on the team,” he told reporters. “We learned a lot from this match. The result is disappointing, and I think we owe our fans an apology.”
Despite the defeat, Lorch’s goal etched his name into Wydad’s history books as the club’s first player to score in a Club World Cup fixture.
It was a moment that brought fleeting joy to Wydad supporters at the stadium and across Morocco, even as the scoreboard ultimately reflected the dominance of the Italian side.
“Juventus are a well-organized team, very compact. That made our task difficult,” Lorch added. “They punished us when we left spaces, and their experience at this level really showed. But we take this as a learning opportunity.”
For Wydad, participation in the newly expanded Club World Cup offered valuable exposure to elite-level football.
The match against Juventus highlighted both the progress made by the Moroccan champions and the distance that still remains to be covered to compete consistently at such a level.
The defeat marked Wydad’s second in the tournament, following their opening match setback.
While the team exits the competition earlier than hoped, players and staff will return home with lessons to apply in domestic and continental campaigns ahead.
As for Lorch, the goal serves as a milestone in his career and a reminder of the impact one moment can have—even in defeat.
His composure and determination on the pitch were a bright spot on an otherwise difficult night for Wydad Casablanca.
