Euphoric scenes rocked Al Thumama stadium, Rabat, and the Arab nation of Morocco as the Atlas Lions’ roared past Canada for a 2-1 victory to book a place in the last 16 at the ongoing World Cup (WC) in Qatar.
After 36 years, Morocco will grace the knockout stage at the FIFA WC again after that spectacular victory. The Walid Regragui-led side has not only qualified for the knockout stage, but they have also done it as the best-placed team in Group F with seven points and an unbeaten run in the group stage.
In 1986 when the Atlas Lions made it past the ground stage, none of the current 26-man squad was born. Back then, the North Africans advanced as the best team in the group, too, as they went on to get eliminated by West Germany.
Morocco had the perfect start to the match, with Hakim Ziyech scoring in the fourth minute to get the Africans off to a spectacular start. Youssef En-Nesyri had pressed the Canadian shot stopper Milan Borjan from a not-so-well thought-out backpass, and in panic mode, Borjan attempted to clear the ball, but it ended up on Ziyech’s foot, and the Chelsea forward had all-time to lift his effort over the custodian into the net.
Regragui’s charges doubled their advantage through Youssef Nesyri in the 23rd minute. The Sevilla striker made a perfect run to receive a long ball from Achraf Hakimi, maintain his balance despite the Canadian defense staying right with him, and blast his low strike into the corner, successfully beating Borjan.
Canada pulled one back in the 40th minute as Nayef Aguerd put the ball into his net from a Sam Adekugbe cross that he tried to block in the mouth of the goal. Morocco, however, held on for victory, relegating the 2018 losing finalists Croatia to second place.
Belgium, the bronze medalists in Russia 2018, placed third to miss out on the knockout stages, while Canada finished last, without a point.
“The first half was probably our best performance in very long. Canada was a strong opponent with ‘nothing to lose. I commend the players for this performance,” the coach offered in his post-game press conference, as reported by Morocco World News.
The former Atlas Lions defender was mainly full of praise for man-of-the-match winner PSG’s full-back Achraf, whom he says put up such a show with an injury.
“Moroccans should be kissing his head. He was the best player in the match with an injury. He does deserve it, though. Congratulations to the players who entered history, deservedly,” the coach said, praising the Moroccan fans in Doha and back home, adding that the Moroccan people needed the qualification.
Morocco joins Senegal in the last 16. It is only the second time, after Algeria and Nigeria in 2014, that two African sides have progressed from the groups in the same tournament.
Apart from the Moroccans in 1986, the only other African countries to have topped a group at the WC finals were Cameroon in 1990 and Nigeria in 1994 and 1998.
As they turn their focus on the next assignment against 2010 champions Spain on Tuesday, December 6, Regragui will hope to continue his fairy-tale tenure with the Atlas Lions. The North Africans have moved from not winning a single game in Russia in 2018 to going unbeaten in the group stage in Qatar.
Before the Canada match, the North Africans had maintained a clean sheet in six games, five under the current tactician, and Regragui, who has an experienced squad, will hope to return to that run.
The 46-year-old French-born tactician knows what’s ahead but will rely on the experience of, among others, Chelsea’s Ziyech, who has been off for the club but has found form for his country. Ziyech is making a comeback to the team after a 15-month break.
He announced his retirement then, after falling out with former coach Vahid Halilhodzic.
“We did not come just to play or to say we almost got close. We want to play our own game. We will duplicate how we played in the first up in the coming matches. But this is not the time for this. We need to get the results by emulating what the European or South American teams like Argentina and France are doing. We needed to duplicate how they play and fuse it with our own values.”
“In the future, we need to have the rigorous, tactical approach with the European style with our own identity. And, if we did this, we would win,” the tactician told Planet Sport after advancing.
The side opened their WC campaign with a goalless draw against 2018 finalists Croatia before beating Belgium 2-0 ahead of Thursday’s clash with Canada.