Morocco’s goalkeeper Khadija Er-Rmichi (left) and striker Fatima Tagnaout celebrate their team’s qualification for the round of 16 of the World Cup, in Perth, Australia, August 3, 2023. COLIN MURTY /AFP
There may not be any more small teams in women’s football, this is the assessment – which makes consensus – of the first round of the ninth Women’s World Cup. But that Morocco come back from the devil, after a 6-0 defeat in their first match of the competition against Germany, and join France in the round of 16 for their first participation in a World Cup is extraordinary. .
“We were the first surprises. We were thinking of playing either Germany or Colombia. Morocco decided otherwise. The probability was very low, that’s the beauty. We will focus on this game.”explained Eugénie Le Sommer on Friday, the day after the Moroccan women’s exploit, a victory (1-0) against Colombia, which gave them a deserved place among the sixteen best nations of the tournament.
The 72nd nation in the world in the FIFA rankings (not for long) continues to progress. In 2022, during an African Cup of Nations organized at home, Morocco had reached the final, losing only 2-1 against South Africa, also qualified for the round of 16 of the 2023 World Cup. ” This World Cup is incredible. There are surprises, that’s the magic of top-level sport. Nothing is written in advance and we have just written this page »analyzes Reynald Pedros, the French coach of the Atlas Lionesses.
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This confrontation, unprecedented in the Women’s World Cup, between France and Morocco not only provokes a hint of effervescence from the crowds, it also exudes the scent of unexpected reunions. Like their male counterparts, semi-finalists of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, the Atlas Lionesses have a good proportion of binational players in their ranks: thirteen in total, eight Franco-Moroccans, three of whom have been called up for the first time in selection at the start of the preparation for this World Cup.
“In the field, there are no friends”
The youngest of Les Bleues, the Parisian Laurina Fazer attended two of them in the youth selection: Kenza Chapelle and Sarah Kassi. “They did something great. I congratulated them”, says the 19-year-old midfielder. Before warning with a big smile: “I’m happy for them, but on the pitch there are no friends. » The third is called Anissa Lahmari, ex-player of PSG, and scored the historic winning goal against Colombia on Thursday.
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In total, they are six to play in French clubs, including Kassi at Fleury 91, surprising fourth in Division 1 at the end of the 2022-2023 season, and Chapelle on loan to Nantes in Division 2 by the Essonne club. . Lahmari is out of contract with Guingamp. “We all played with or against Moroccan playersnotes Le Sommer. [Le match à venir] is a special moment for both countries. »
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