Statistically, Thembinkosi Lorch has been Wydad Athletic’s top performer at the FIFA Club World Cup, leading his teammates in no fewer than six key categories, including goals, sprints, pressing actions and attacking receptions.
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Wydad Athletic may have suffered back-to-back defeats at the FIFA Club World Cup, but Lorch is one player who can walk away with his head held high.
The 31-year-old South African winger has statistically been the standout performer for the Moroccan giants, delivering a series of eye-catching performances on world football’s biggest club stage (in context of a global tournament).
Lorch, who found the back of the net with a sensational chip against Juventus, led his team in no fewer than six key performance metrics, underlining his influence in a squad still adjusting under pressure.
Here’s how Lorch ranked across Wydad’s two Club World Cup matches:
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Most Goals: 1
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Most Attempts At Goal: 7
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Most Sprints: 127
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Most Pressing Applied: 65
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Most Offers To Receive: 82
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Most Receptions Between Midfield and Defence: 31
Despite Wydad's 2-0 loss to Manchester City and 4-1 defeat to Juventus, Lorch showed his class, intelligence, and relentless work ethic, pressing from the front, creating movement between the lines, and applying pressure high up the pitch.
His form in the competition has been one of the few positives for Wydad fans. If there was any doubt about Lorch's ability to perform on the global stage, this tournament has emphatically put that to bed.
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Even in a team still finding its feet, Lorch has proven that class is permanent.
