Counterattack and defense in the Moroccan equation

Morocco paid a lot of attention to the ball possession indicator and not to apply it at all costs, but to discover that it is not the most important thing to win games. That’s right, the first African team in the semifinals of a World Cup is the one that has had control of the ball the fewest times.

In logic, this may sound like a direct path to an early elimination, but the Moroccans with their results (before facing France) show that the strengths lie in other factors such as a good defensive block in the lower part, the exit to the counterattack quickly, vertically and also, switch to the combinative game depending on the challenge that the rival implies.

“Possession of the ball has become irrelevant, it is not a piece of information that is relevant now in football to link who is less or more successful. For example, in the quarterfinal matches, the teams that had less possession of the ball won, which becomes only an indicator, which does not say who had more chances to score”, explains Jacques Passy, ​​the coach who has directed El Economista. the selections of Saint Kitts and Nevis and the Dominican Republic.

In five games in Qatar 2022, Morocco has scored five goals and only one against. He has 425 caused turnovers, but in contrast, an exponential 2021 defensive pressures. Possession of the ball is not an axis that causes victories, but scoring opportunities are.

“There are two compelling data with Morocco. It is the team that has the least possession on average, in every minute of the World Cup. It is a style of play that they have also mastered. There is also another indicator: it is the team that has the most direct play. The one who looks for fewer passes to reach the goal, the one who makes faster transitions, the one who counterattacks when he can and recovers the ball, seeks to get to the goal as quickly as possible and have a chance. It is the team with the lowest percentage of possession, but with the most direct game of all in the World Cup”, explains Luis Fernández, CEO of Under Data, a consultancy specialized in soccer datascouting.

In shots against the opposite goal, Morocco with 41, is below the European powers that crossed their path in this World Cup. France has 77, Portugal 62 and Spain 51. In the game against the Spanish, the score remained 0-0 until the penalty shootout. The coach, Walid Regragui, expressed his appreciation for the Spanish philosophy “but taking the ball away from them will be impossible and I will have to play with other types of weapons”.

”Morocco’s success is that they have known how to play defensively, with compact low blocks that are difficult to penetrate and their counterattacks are fast. It is not what Mexico did against Argentina, to have a low block and see how far I can go. Most of Morocco’s counter-attacks are clear, towards the wing and center; it is a flow. He has won because he has generated very solid defenses and a way of attacking that has given him good results. Against Portugal there was a combinative game that they also know how to execute”, underlines Jacques Passy.

Morocco’s solid defense and their organization without control of the ball makes it difficult to compete against them. Players like Hakim Ziyech (Chelsea FC) and Sofiane Boufal (Angers SCO) are known for their style and ability on the ball, but in Morocco’s four unbeaten games, they also showcased their defensive contributions. Against Croatia, Belgium, Canada and Spain, the Moroccan team had different defensive approaches. Against the Croats, for example, Morocco focused on nullifying their trident in the midfield of Luka Modric, Marcelo Brozovic and Mateo Kovacic.

“Among Morocco’s strengths is their mastery of style of play and they know that this increases their chances of success against their rivals. Spain was the complete opposite, it was the team with the highest possession, the most combinative and least direct game Compared to France and Croatia, they are also teams that dominate possession of the ball and generate more scoring chances than Morocco. It will be necessary to see if the low block that Morocco has set up continues to work against the French team. It will be a matter of the tactics of the two teams, because France will seek to do damage in quick plays. With respect to the Moroccans, it is difficult to be so efficient in so many games”, explains data analyst Luis Fernández.

Morocco has outclassed many heavyweights with their own style.

marisol.rojas@eleconomista.mx