Thanks to two goals from Hakim Ziyech and Youssef En-Nesyri, the Moroccans finished first in their group. For the first time since 1986, the Atlas Lions have crossed the group stage of a World Cup.
by Valentin Moinard
“My goal is the African Cup of Nations. Why lie to the Moroccan people?” Excessive modesty or not, the coach of Morocco, Walid Regragui, did not seem to believe in his team before this cup of the world in Qatar. After having already drawn the draw against Croatia (0-0), then dominated Belgium (2-0), his Atlas lions definitively gave him wrong Thursday 1
Not favorites of a very high group, the Moroccans finished first and have been emerging from the chickens of the World Cup for the first time since 1986. It is the second country on the African continent to join the knockout stages, after the qualification of Senegal Tuesday -Record equaled as in 2014 with Algeria and Nigeria -, pending Ghana and Cameroon who, Friday evening, will try to imitate Moroccans.
The Atlas Lions needed only a draw against Canada to validate their qualification in the next round. But to avoid stress, Romain Saïss and his teammates immediately took the lead. From the fourth minute, Hakim Ziyech took advantage of a completely failed revival from the Canadian goalkeeper Milan Borjan to recover a ball against the empty goal. Without trembling, the Chelsea midfielder placed a stung ball.
Canada ends up with three defeats
Already eliminated before this Morocco-Canada, the Canucks undoubtedly dreamed of a more favorable start to the match to grab a first point in the group’s classification. And the following minutes were not more favorable to John Herdman’s men. Completely disorganized and unable to get the ball out of their field part, they logically conceded a second goal, by Youssef En-Nesyri (24
But Canadians did not collapse. Just before half-time, they manage to reduce the scoring on a center of Sam Adekugbe deflected in his own goal by defender Nayef Aguerd (44 e ). A lucky achievement, against the course of the game, the cannucks not having a single strike from the first period!
Revigorated by this unexpected goal, they multiply the assaults on the goal of goalkeeper Yassine Bounou in the second act. But lack of success, like this head of Atiba Hutchinson (71