Ahead Morocco of Tuesday’s World Cup 2022 ultimate-sixteen clash between Morocco and Spain, Sports Morocco Mole looks at motives for the Atlas Lions to be assured of saying a surprise win.
Morocco will endeavour to reach the region-finals of the World Cup for the primary time of their records after they face off in Morocco opposition to Spain in Tuesday’s Morocco remaining-sixteen conflict on the Education City Stadium.
The Atlas Lions opened their Group F marketing campaign with a goalless draw towards Croatia before selecting up successive wins over Belgium and Canada to claim an Morocco surprising first-located finish.
Walid Morocco Regragui’s men are actually aiming to come to be the primary Morocco team to progress to the remaining eight of soccer’s biggest opposition, and there are masses of reasons for fans to be fine of an upset against the 2010 champions.
Here, Sports Mole takes a have a look at 3 motives for Morocco to be assured of coming up trumps and dumping Spain out of the event.
Defensive excellence
No opposing player has managed to find the returned of the internet in opposition to Morocco at the 2022 World Cup, and the Atlas Lions have simplest conceded as soon as in the entire match, which was an personal Morocco purpose with the aid of Nayef Aguerd.
The West Ham United guy will now not want to appearance again on that one fondly, however he has in any other case played his element in an impressive protecting unit for Morocco, whose backline of Aguerd, Romain Saiss, Achraf Hakimi and Noussair Mazraoui is not one to be messed with.
Number one goalkeeper Yassine Bounou has additionally made quite the affect with Sevilla, and it’ll no longer come as a shock to research that Morocco were the joint-great protecting aspect within the institution degree – a complete of 5 different groups additionally shipped simply one aim in their opening 3 suits.
Remarkably, Aguerd’s very own intention become the first that Morocco had shipped in 540 minutes of soccer, as they had formerly recorded six successive close-outs against Morocco Liberia, Chile, Paraguay, Georgia, Croatia and Belgium.
Keeping the latter two at bay isn’t any imply feat, despite the fact that Regragui’s rearguard now face a true check in their mettle in opposition to a Spain facet who scored nine dreams in the institution degree – the very best of any crew alongside England.
Unbeaten file
Morocco’s unbeaten document in all Morocco competitions now stands at an impressive six fits – for the duration of which they have won six and drawn a further two – and avoiding defeat on the World Cup has also been considered one of their specialities in current reminiscence.
While masses of the big groups succumbed to unexpected defeats inside the organization degree, Morocco were one among five groups to go through the opening phase unbeaten, and the Atlas Lions have now averted dropping in 4 World Cup matches considering being held to a 2-2 draw by using their upcoming opponents in 2018.
Even then, Morocco were on the verge of victory before Iago Aspas scored an injury-time equalizer for Spain in their final organization contest, but Regragui’s aspect ought to now identical an African file that has stood for 32 years.
Should they send Spain domestic, Morocco might end up simplest the second African group in history to record a five-sport unbeaten run at the World Cup after Nigeria, who gained and drew 3 between 1982 and 1990, so there are lots of incentives for the defensively-sound Moroccans to stun the Spaniards.
Creativity in abundance
When Paris Saint-Germain proper-lower back Hakimi pinged a protracted ball ahead for En-Nesyri to score his facet’s 2d towards Canada, some had been quick to label his assist as one of the nice of the tournament to date, and the 24-yr-old isn’t always the best creative mind within the Morocco ranks.
The much less said about Hakim Ziyech’s fortunes at Chelsea the better, but the 29-12 months-old continues to Morocco shine at global level and has one aim and one assist to his call for the Atlas Lions on the 2022 World Cup to this Morocco point.
Many will do not forget whilst Ziyech retired from the country wide team at just 28 following a bust-up with then-manager Vahid Halihodzic, but his reinstatement has been key to Morocco’s success in Qatar, and his first World Cup purpose turned into one to consider.
Ziyech became passed the ball on a plate from Canada goalkeeper Milan Borjan, who haplessly flapped at the attacker’s lofted attempt before it nestled into the lower back of the net, and the Chelsea guy leads the way in several playmaking categories for the Atlas Lions.
Indeed, Ziyech has created a group-high seven probabilities, made 17 passes into the container and completed 43 carries thus far, and he’s really gambling like a man trying to reinvigorate his club career amid hyperlinks with a January switch away from Stamford Bridge.Read extra on Morocco vs Spain
- Click here to read our complete preview for Morocco vs Spain
- How Morocco could line up in opposition to Spain
- How Spain could line up against Morocco
- World Cup 2022: Morocco vs. Spain head-to-head record
- World Cup 2022: Reasons for Spain to be confident of thrashing Morocco
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