PERTH, Australia — Morocco beat Colombia 1-0 to make it to the Women’s World Cup knockout spherical, creating but extra historical past in a dramatic conclusion to the group stage of the 2023 event.

Morocco is the primary Arab or North African nation to transcend the group stage on the Women’s World Cup, and the one considered one of eight event newcomers to advance.

Morocco’s profitable purpose got here in first-half stoppage time, when Anissa Lahmari put again a penalty-save rebound.

The win meant Morocco qualifies in second place within the group, behind Colombia, and knocked two-time champion Germany out of the event. No. 2-ranked Germany wanted a win over South Korea in a sport being performed concurrently in Brisbane, however was held to a 1-1 draw.

The Moroccan gamers and training employees gathered on the pitch after fulltime in Perth to observe the top of the Germany-South Korea sport in Brisbane, which nonetheless doubtlessly had a hand of their World Cup destiny.

“We had the phone and we started praying. We were praying while we were watching the game,” midfielder Anissa Lahmari stated. “Afterwards it was just a complete explosion of joy.”

If Morocco’s qualification for the Women’s World Cup impressed a era, this run to the knockout stage will cement a legacy for the Atlas Lionesses.

The Moroccans have been trounced 6-0 by Germany of their debut sport within the event, however bounced again with consecutive wins,.

The win over South Korea on the weekend was historic for the staff, for Ibtissam Jraïdi scoring the Atlas Lionesses’ first World Cup purpose, and for one more vital milestone - defender Nouhaila Benzina grew to become the primary participant to put on a Hijab in a World Cup sport on the senior stage.

The sport in opposition to Colombia was a fair contest proper via the primary half till Jraidi was fouled within the penalty space within the dying seconds earlier than the break. Ghizlane Chebbak’s penalty try was saved, however Lahmari swooped on the rebound to place her staff forward of Colombia - and, simply as importantly, the Germany staff taking part in on the opposite aspect of the nation.

Colombia had its greatest scoring probability within the 59th minute, when its 18-year-old famous person, Linda Caicedo, served a ball to the far publish, which Daniela Montoya one-timed to the left of goalkeeper Khadija Er-Rmichi. The Moroccan ‘keeper made a reflex kick save, blocking the ball with simply the entrance fringe of her proper cleat.

In the 69th, Caicedo, after a long term, stopped and leaned on the sphere barrier, reaching right down to her left ankle and foot. She appeared hobbled for a number of minutes however stayed within the match.

WHY IT MATTERS

Moroccan soccer followers have had loads of have a good time with their nationwide groups at the newest World Cups. The Atlas Lionesses had created historical past simply by qualifying, after which simply by scoring their first win. Beating Colombia to knock Germany out of the event was fully sudden by most.

Morocco’s males’s staff additionally made World Cup historical past final yr. In the 2022 males’s World Cup, the Atlas Lions superior to the spherical of 16 for the primary time since 1986 and have become the primary African or Arab nation to succeed in a World Cup semifinal.

Colombia wins its group for the primary time in staff historical past and is within the knockout rounds for the primary time since 2015.

IN THEIR OWN WORDS

Morocco’s followers “are going to support us one more time. We love them, we cherish them, we feel they’re behind us. It gives us strength. Well done to all the girls and we’re continuing on our merry way.” - Reynald Pedros, Morocco coach.

“It was an intense game and a very strategic game. We lost because of a mistake we made in the goal area, with the penalty.” - Nelson Abadía, Colombia coach.

WHAT’S NEXT

Morocco, because the Group H runner-up, will play Group F winner France in Adelaide on Tuesday. Colombia will play Group F runner-up Jamaica the identical day in Melbourne.

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Anna Ruth Riggins contributed to this report from Sydney. Riggins is a scholar on the University of Georgia’s Carmical Sports Media Institute.

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AP Women’s World Cup protection: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-womens-world-cup

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