Morocco makes more Females’s World Cup ancient past, reaching knockout rounds with a 1-0 fetch over Colombia

August 3, 2023

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Morocco makes more Females’s World Cup ancient past, reaching knockout rounds with a 1-0 fetch over Colombia

Breaking News

By The Associated Press

PERTH, Australia (AP) — After playing their half by edging Colombia 1-0, Morocco’s Atlas Lionesses huddled on the pitch in Perth to appear on the end of the Germany-South Korea community-stage finale on the Females’s World Cup and hope it remained tied.

“We had the mobile phone and we began praying. We had been praying whereas we had been searching on the game,” stated midfielder Anissa Lahmari, who scored Morocco’s winning intention in first-half stoppage time on Thursday. “Afterwards it was once correct a total explosion of joy.”

Cue celebrations, every in Morocco and other substances of the Arab world.

In a single of the most surprising outcomes in the supreme days of the community stage, Morocco progressed to the knockout spherical in second location behind Colombia whereas No. 2-ranked Germany failed to come for the principle time on the event.

Morocco is the principle Arab or North African nation to qualify for the Females’s World Cup and now the principle to come beyond the community stage. That’s something now not among the other seven event newbies managed to enact.

And it all began with a thumping 6-0 loss to Germany. Whereas the Moroccans recovered to fetch their subsequent two video games, Germany lost 2-1 to Colombia and then was once held 1-1 by South Korea when it significant a fetch in Brisbane to handbook clear of elimination.

“After we had won the match, the most stressful part was once the other match,” Morocco coach Reynald Pedros stated.

The supreme two community video games began on the same time on opposite sides of the Australian continent but stoppage time in Brisbane lasted longer.

“We waited, and then the beautiful news arrived. It was once inconceivable,” Pedros stated.

If Morocco’s qualification for the Females’s World Cup inspired a skills, this tear to the knockout stage will cement a legacy for the Atlas Lionesses.

The fetch over South Korea supreme weekend was once ancient for the crew, for Ibtissam Jraïdi scoring the Morocco’s first World Cup intention, and for yet another significant milestone — defender Nouhaila Benzina grew to turn out to be the principle player to position on a Hijab in a World Cup recreation on the senior stage.

“After the principle match of the event, I private 98% of of us conception it was once over, apart from us,” Pedros stated. “We conception shall we enact something, due to soccer is magic.

“Everybody is aware of that feelings and labor can outcome in beautiful issues. If we are on the next stage, it’s due to we deserve it, for the overall labor.”

The recreation in opposition to Colombia was once a excellent contest correct thru the principle half till Jraidi was once fouled in the penalty design in the loss of life seconds sooner than the crash. Ghizlane Chebbak’s penalty try was once saved, but Lahmari swooped on the rebound to position her crew sooner than Colombia — and, correct as importantly, sooner than Germany in the standings.

Colombia had its supreme scoring likelihood in the 59th minute, when 18-year-former Linda Caicedo served a ball to the a long way post, which Daniela Montoya one-timed to the left of goalkeeper Khadija Er-Rmichi. The Moroccan ‘keeper made a reflex kick place, blocking off the ball with correct the front edge of her correct cleat.

Within the 69th, Caicedo, after a future, stopped and leaned on the sphere barrier, reaching down to her left ankle and foot. She appeared hobbled for several minutes but stayed in the match.

Breaking News WHY IT MATTERS

Moroccan soccer fans private had plenty of private a excellent time with their nationwide teams on the latest World Cups. The Atlas Lionesses created ancient past correct by qualifying, and then correct by scoring their first fetch. Beating Colombia to knock Germany out of the event was once yet another stage.

Morocco’s men’s crew additionally made World Cup ancient past supreme year. Within the 2022 men’s World Cup, the Atlas Lions progressed to the spherical of 16 for the principle time since 1986 and grew to turn out to be the principle African or Arab nation to achieve a World Cup semifinal.

Colombia wins its community for the principle time in crew ancient past and is in the knockout rounds for the principle time since 2015.

Breaking News IN THEIR OWN WORDS

Morocco’s fans “are going to enhance us one more time. We cherish them, we like them, we basically feel they’re behind us. It gives us energy. Well accomplished to the overall girls and we’re persevering with on our merry manner.” — Reynald Pedros, Morocco coach.

“It was once an intense recreation and a extremely strategic recreation. We lost due to of a mistake we made in the intention design, with the penalty.” — Nelson Abadía, Colombia coach.

Breaking News WHAT’S NEXT

Morocco, as the Team H runner-up, will play Team F winner France in Adelaide on Tuesday. Colombia will play Team F runner-up Jamaica the same day in Melbourne.