Morocco advance to play Spain in the knockout round thanks to a decisive victory
Morocco entered the Al Thumama Stadium knowing that a draw against Canada would secure a place for the round of 16. A win would give them first place in a tight and closely contested group.
It was natural that Morocco came hunting for their three points.
Canada looked confused and unsure from the start. Chaves’ central defender Steven Vitoria was unable to control a dribbling ball in the fourth minute, pushing a touch past Red Star goalkeeper Milan Borjan. Borjan had to leave the area to clear the ball, but he sent it straight to the grateful feet of Hakim Ziyech. Ziyech had a wide-open goal, and he coldly conceded it.
Morocco doubled their lead with a superb long pass from Achraf Hakimi from inside their own half. En-Nesyri held on to the ball, getting past two defenders before sending his shot past Borjan.
Tragedy struck Morocco in the 40th minute. Sam Adekugbe’s margarita cross from the wing hit Aguerd’s foot and sent the ball past Sevilla goalkeeper Yassine Bounou. Bounou was unable to react in time to save the deflected shot, cutting Morocco’s lead to one.
Ziyech sent a cross into the box from a free kick in the 45th minute, targeting Romain Saiss, a prowling Besiktas defender. Canada anticipated the cross, putting her out of danger. What the defense did not anticipate was En-Nesyri’s thunderous volley from the middle of the box to give Morocco a 3-1 lead. The linesman ruled it out due to Aguerd blocking the goalkeeper for offside.
Morocco and Canada had chances, but most of the match came from Morocco trying to avoid a huge penalty shootout. Alphonso Davies was about to score, but his shot landed just a few yards from the post. Besiktas’ Aitba Hutchinson’s shot hit the crossbar and Montreal full-back Alistar Johnston’s header barely went over the net.
So the game ended with Morocco holding on to their narrow victory. Canada’s first World Cup berth since 1986 ended with the defeat of all three of their group stage matches, as Morocco advanced to the round of 16 for the second time in their history.
En-Nesyri is back and better than ever
Youssef En-Nesyri is many things. He is powerful, as his 2020-21 season showed when he scored eighteen goals in La Liga. However, he is inconsistent. En-Nesyri has scored just five goals for Sevilla in the last two years. But when Morocco needed him most, he was a hero.
His 23rd-minute goal gave Morocco a firm lead, and he nearly scored the second just before halftime until VAR ruled it out. Not only was he ruthless in front of goal, but he was also a major nuisance to the Canadian defensive line. The wingers found him on many deep runs that Canada couldn’t stop, and he held the ball very well. He was also very involved in the last third. The striker Diana had 38 touches and created spaces where he passed.
The word to summarize his performance would be efficiency. En-Nesyri, as usual, did not see much of the ball. But when he did, he made the most of it. He showed manager Walid Regragui exactly why he deserves to be in the first team.
Dark horses?
The term “underrated” is overused in the modern era. But Morocco is all that and more. Along with Japan and maybe Senegal, Morocco is one of the teams that players should keep in mind. And for good reason.
They made a deep run at the Africa Cup of Nations before meeting eventual finalists Egypt. They defeated the Democratic Republic of the Congo en route to a World Cup bid. And in friendlies, they found their footing with victories over Chile and Georgia.
But I don’t think anyone, not even the most optimistic Moroccan fan, expected such a fiery performance from the Atlas Lions. They stalled Croatia and beat Belgium and Canada to make an appointment with Spain.
Beating the declining Spanish team would give Morocco their best ever World Cup performance, and Regragui is exactly the man to do it. He won countless leagues and cups within Morocco, breaking into the mainstream last summer with a win in the CAF Champions League. His tactics have been unerring so far in the World Cup, and the Atlas Lions’ talent is second to none.
Spain should definitely treat this game with caution as the Atlas Lions have shown their roar.
Photo credit: IMAGO/Xinhua
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