It had been greater than an hour since Anissa Lahmari had scored the aim that put Morocco in entrance, the one which was poised to ship one other historic win for her group at its first Girls’s World Cup.
But it surely was not over but. And so Morocco’s gamers needed to wait.
They huddled collectively round a workers member’s cellphone as Germany bombed balls upfield, because it tried to string passes by means of a stingy South Korea protection and because it lofted hopeful ones over it. A Germany aim, any aim, would save its World Cup and sprint Morocco’s unbelievable dream of advancing to the knockout rounds. The minutes ticked on, and on, after which all of the sudden, it was over.
Morocco had overwhelmed Colombia, 1-0. Germany had not overwhelmed South Korea, 1-1. And after all of the minutes, and all of the ready, that was all it took: Morocco, a group in its first World Cup, a group that had by no means gained a sport within the match per week in the past however now has gained two in a row, was by means of. And it didn’t appear to know what to do.
When the referee’s whistle blew within the Germany sport, Morocco’s gamers broke their huddle and ran. They ran searching for hugs. They ran to search out teammates. A number of ran simply to run.
You are going to need the sound up on this one 🔊🆙
Take heed to the Arabic name of the second Morocco discovered it was within the Knockout Stage 🇲🇦
(by way of BEIN Sports activities MENA) pic.twitter.com/DbZa4rG5D7
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) August 3, 2023
Morocco had already gained, in fact. The primary North African group to qualify for the Girls’s World Cup, and the primary to subject a participant in a hijab, its mere presence within the match had been an achievement, and an inspiration. But Morocco was excited by greater than mere participation.
As considered one of eight first-time entrants on this 12 months’s expanded match, it had arrived with a squad that was little recognized even to most Moroccans earlier than it certified on dwelling soil final July. It had gained followers and respect in its qualification journey, however even its coach knew the following step can be a giant one.
“They confirmed us that they’ll fill stadiums and make Moroccans completely satisfied,” the group’s French coach, Reynald Pedros, had mentioned earlier than the match. “They did it on the African stage. Now we hope to do the identical on the worldwide one.”
Now that they’d, Pedros didn’t appear to know what to do. He burst into tears on the sector as his group and his workers celebrated their achievement. Gamers dropped to their knees in thanks. Others embraced. Within the middle of all of it, seemingly misplaced and unsure the place to go, or who to hug subsequent, was Pedros.
That is what it means for Morocco 🙏🇲🇦
Morocco’s Head Coach Reynald Pedros and gamers break into tears after clinching a spot within the Knockout Stage for the primary time ever ❤️ pic.twitter.com/zwgi4xKyid
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) August 3, 2023
Again dwelling, pleasure took over Morocco, the place solely seven months in the past followers had crammed the streets to cheer the boys’s group because it made a run to the World Cup semifinals. Now, the nation might quickly be cheering for its girls’s squad.
In Casablanca on Thursday morning, individuals (principally males) had crammed cafes quietly to observe the sport. There was little hope for Morocco getting into the day, since Colombia led the group and Germany was broadly anticipated to affix it within the knockouts. However when South Korea scored early, and Morocco took the lead towards Colombia simply earlier than halftime when Lahmari banged within the rebound of a missed penalty kick for the opening aim, followers began to hope.
In a single cafe, the boys inside checked their telephones repeatedly, updating the rating within the Germany sport. A number of mentioned quiet prayers.
As a shocking victory, and an much more stunning risk — development out of the group stage within the group’s first World Cup — crept nearer, the stress mounted. Throughout the Mediterranean in France, Kenza Haloui, 34, had left work in Good to observe the match alone whereas texting along with her cousins in Morocco. She had grown up in Fez and performed soccer her entire life earlier than transferring to Europe. When Morocco lastly gained, she mentioned, “I felt so many feelings.”
On the remaining whistle, although, the celebrations had been muted: briefs shouts of pleasure, some honking of automobile horns. After which individuals transfer on with their day.
Soumia Idba, 39, watched the sport on the workplace in Casablanca, however couldn’t assist however discover how troublesome it had been to view it. “It was very exhausting to discover a strategy to watch a sport,” Idba mentioned. “It wasn’t like in Qatar. Most Moroccans watch on-line.”
If the celebrations had been subdued, although, the group’s subsequent sport might stoke extra feelings: By advancing, Morocco earned a date with France within the spherical of 16 on Tuesday. It’s the identical matchup that, in December on the males’s World Cup, introduced followers into the streets of Casablanca and Marrakesh and dozens of cities throughout North Africa and Europe. France gained that day, ending the dream of Morocco’s males’s group.
The nation now has a second probability. Its girls’s group has one thing nobody anticipated: its first.
