Morocco meets Canada in Qatar and returns to the round of 16 36 years later

Morocco complied without surprises and beat the already eliminated Canada 2-1, this Thursday in Qatarand will play again in the round of 16 of the World Cup 36 years after the only time he did it before, in Mexico-1986.

In the next round, the “Atlas Lions”, who also finished leaders of the group F, They will play on Tuesday the 6th against the second classified from E, which will also be decided this Thursday and in which none of the four teams (Spain, Japan, Costa Rica, Germany) reach the last day classified or mathematically eliminated.

Hakim Ziyech (minute 4) and Youssef En-Nesyri (23) put the Moroccans ahead and in minute 40 a goal against Nayed Aguerd cut it short for the Canadians. In the second half the marker no longer moved.

With 7 points, Morocco surprisingly finished at the top of group F, ahead of Croatia (5 points), who eliminated Belgium (3rd, 4 points) with a goalless draw between them. Canada closed the classification, without scoring.

After their good start to the tournament, with a goalless draw against world runner-up Croatia and a 2-0 victory over Belgium (number two in the FIFA), the Moroccans needed just one point this Thursday to ensure qualification and they got all three, in a new demonstration of solvency and effectiveness. They received, yes, their first goal against in this tournament.

On the contrary, Canadavenue of the next World Cup in 2016 together with the United States and Mexico, closes its second participation in the tournament with a total of three defeats, just as it did in the first, in Mexico-1986.

blunder

From the beginning, Morocco was superior and the first goal of the game came in minute 4, with a double miss from Canada: defenseman Steven Vitoria dropped too short for his goalkeeper Milan Borjan, who left his area to arrive, somewhat forced, and ended up giving away the ball on clearance to Ziyech, who raised slightly and scored on an empty goal.

Canada had a good chance to equalize in the 15th minute, with Cyle Larin’s cross nearly parried by teammate Tajon Buchanan.

But it was the North Africans who got it right shortly after, with an assist from Achraf Hakimi for En-Nesyri (23), who signed the second of his own with a cross shot in the area.

Canada had a truce in the 40th minute, when a pass from Sam Adekugbe’s death was cut off by Nayed Aguerd, who accidentally put the ball into his own goal. His goalkeeper Yassine Bounou “Bono” came to touch, but could not avoid the goal.

In the discount of the first half, En Nesyri had a goal cancelled.

In the second half, Morocco started slower, put the game to sleep and Canada tried to go home with honors, without success.

The North American team had a great chance in the 72nd minute, when 39-year-old veteran Atiba Hutchinson headed the ball off the crossbar and then bounced over the line.

Knowing that the Croats and the Belgians were drawing at the same time in their match, Morocco prioritized the defensive order. He barely arrived in the second half but he controlled the situation well, clinched the victory and with it the long-awaited classification, as leader in addition to his group.

The Moroccan team They are already allowing themselves to dream of surpassing what the remembered team of Zaki Badou, Merry Krimau and Mohamed Timouni achieved, whom the Federal Republic of Germany defeated in the round of 16 1-0, with a late goal from Lothar Matthaus already in the 88th minute.

The new generation will now try to make history and achieve the first appearance of their country in a quarter-final, the round that so far is the ceiling for African soccer in the World Cups.