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The sky’s the limit for Morocco
Who knows what this team is still capable of?
Players of Morocco celebrate with Achraf Hakimi (C) after he scored the penalty that sent Morocco to the quarterfinals. Picture: EPA-EFE/Mohamed Messara
Morocco may have broken Portuguese hearts in Qatar in the Fifa World Cup quarterfinals on Saturday evening with their shock victory over the Europeans, but they went where no African team has gone before them – qualifying for a semifinal at the sport’s showpiece.
The North Africans face the world champion French team this week for a place in the final – against either Argentina or Croatia – but they’ve already punched far above their weight.
Entering the tournament ranked well outside the top teams, they have only conceded once – an own goal against Canada – in Qatar 2022.
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They drew with Croatia, fellow semifinalists and 2018 finalists, defeated Canada and the much-vaunted Belgians to top their group, and then defeated 2010 champions Spain via penalties in the round of 16.
No African or Arab country had managed to go beyond the quarterfinals.
Cameroon reached the quarterfinals in Italy in 1990, Senegal in Korea in 2002, and Ghana in South Africa in 2010, but no African team has made it to the final four – the business end of the tournament. Moroccan coach Walid Regragui hailed his injury-hit side as “the Rocky Balboa of this World Cup”.
The sky is the limit for Atlas Lions. Who knows what this team is still capable of?
An in-form French team will need to be on guard on Wednesday.
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