After a failed start, Morocco won the first victory in its history in the final phase of the Women’s World Cup, which is held until August 20 in Australia and New Zealand. On July 30 in Adelaide, striker Ibtissam Jraidi, who plays for Al-Ahli (Saudi Arabia) allowed her team to beat South Korea (1-0) and keep all their chances of qualifying for the 8th of final. This will require him to win against Colombia Thursday, August 3. A team that dominates Group H with 6 points and created the sensation by bringing down Germany (2-1), one of the favorites of the competition, on the second day.
The Atlas Lionesses, who are participating in the World Cup for the first time, suffered a heavy defeat (0-6) against the Germans when they entered the competition on July 24. “They struggled to deal with the pressure and their emotions. We must not forget that Morocco is the first selection from the Arab world to participate in a World Cup, recalls Zayneb Amine Zouali, president of Tihad Athletic Sport, the oldest women’s club in the Kingdom. We saw that this 6-0, they had not accepted it “.
Rapid progress
The Lionesses of the Atlas, whose workforce is made up of ten players born in Morocco and thirteen binationals, have nevertheless risen among the best African formations. Zayneb Amine Zouali has seen the rapid progress of Moroccan women in recent years: “The arrival of Frenchman Reynald Pedros, who for several years had coached the women’s team of Olympique Lyonnais, one of the best in the world, was important. The president of the federation, Fouzi Lekjaa, had chosen him to qualify the selection for the World Cup”.
“There is clearly a political will for women’s football to develop, which was not obvious in a country where girls are not always seen to play sports,” adds former Moroccan international Abdeslam Ouaddou ( 2000-2009). Result: the Moroccan championship is now one of the few in Africa to enjoy professional status. An evolution that convinced some players to stay in their country, such as goalkeeper Khadija Er-Rmichi or the emblematic captain Ghizlane Chebbake, both under contract with AS FAR Rabat, the most successful club in the Kingdom. At the same time, more and more young girls joined amateur clubs.
As for the supporters, more and more of them are following the matches of the women’s team, vice-champion of Africa in 2022 during the African Cup of Nations organized at home. Despite the time difference, the World galvanizes. “As we approach the match against Colombia, we feel a certain excitement, and that people will be proud of their selection, even in the event of elimination,” confirms Nassim El Kerf, journalist at Le Desk.
