Match report
Summary
Thank you for joining me this afternoon on a landmark day for Morocco.
And without further ado I’ll point you in the direction of the conclusion of Group A, with everything to play for in Auckland and Dunedin.
And to continue with the theme of firsts, the player of the match was arguably Moroccan central defender Nouhaila Benzina, the first player to appear in a World Cup wearing hijab.
Updated
Disaster for South Korea. They were toothless all afternoon and without a goal in two matches are now effectively out of the 2023 World Cup.
In Morocco’s second ever World Cup match they scored their first World Cup goal, and earned their first World Cup win. They are very much alive heading to a final round showdown with Colombia.
Full-time: South Korea 0-1 Morocco
Morocco hold on! What a result in Group H.
Updated
90+6 mins: Morocco are cool coming out of defence – too cool – and Korea force the turnover with a desperate lunge. Can they find the killer pass? No. Yu-Ri Choe slices the ball out of play. Surely that’s it.
90+5 mins: Chebbak does well to carry the ball into the left corner. She whips over a cross that Bouftini spins and flicks behind at the near post.
90+4 mins: Even this late in the piece, Morocco continue to offer more threat on their rare counters than Korea can muster despite dominating possession.
90+3 mins: There’s bodies on the ground in the box as the ball gets delivered – Korea want a penalty – but the Brazilian referee adjudges the first foul was against a Moroccan.
90+2 mins: Morocco go from attacking on the right to Redouani conceding a cheap corner tracking back.
90+1 mins: Sel-Gi Jang should do better from the left edge of the box on the burst, failing to pick a target inside her or get a shot away. So frustrating for Colin Bell and Korea’s supporters.
90 mins: Six minutes of added time for Morocco to hold out.
89 mins: Korea are desperate now, but Ga-Ram Chun shooting miles over from distance is not the solution.
88 mins: Morocco break quickly and Rosella Ayane is put through with only the keeper to beat, but she runs out of steam and tamely scuffs a shot wide! End to end in Adelaide!
87 mins: Was that the chance!? Casey Phair almost does produce the miracle! The long ball into the box is controlled by So-Yun Ji who finds a teammate on her outside. The pull-back the penalty spot finds Phair, who does well to clear her feet, but drags her shot wide. The best chance of the night for Korea.
86 mins: It’s all gone very flat for Korea.
84 mins: Yu-Ri Choe carries the ball dangerously through the middle, but there is nobody ahead of her and she’s eventually crowded out. Morocco counter with purpose and enjoy sending the ball into the right corner for some respite.
83 mins: Teenager Casey Phair is on for a late cameo. She’ll need to perform a miracle if Korea are to remain alive in this World Cup.
82 mins: So-Yun Ji clips the free-kick straight into the wall.
81 mins: Benzina goes in the book for a clear professional foul. Korea, for the first time all night, threatened to get in behind on the counterattack with numbers after the Moroccan defence got caught ball-watching. However, the runner set off far too early, forcing the ball carrier to retain possession, and have her heels clipped 25m out.
80 mins: Reinforcements for that final rearguard action come on with Nakkach and Tagnaout replaced by Najat Badri and Sofia Bouftini.
79 mins: Benzina hits the deck after Mi-Ra Moon steps on her right boot executing a clearance. That buys Morocco some precious time to settle things down and steel themselves for the final 10 minutes.
77 mins: Korea continue to probe, upping the intensity, and playing more combination football in the absence of Park, passing their way to the edge of the box and forcing a corner. Hye-Ri Kim floats it over to the top of the box, So-Hyun Cho heads it down, but Morocco are first to the loose ball.
75 mins: Time running out for Korea, who draw an excellent diving punch out of Khadija Er-Rmichi to force away a Yu-Ri Choe cross from the right with players free in the box.
Updated
73 mins: Jraidi does well initially to hold the ball up for Morocco and fashion a shooting chance, but she takes too long and gets robbed, allowing Korea to attack at pace on the transition – until Hye-Ji Hong is professionally fouled in midfield.
That’s the last action Jraidi has for the day. Her historic goal is what separates the two sides but she looks exhausted as Rosella Ayane comes on in her place.
72 mins: Both substitutes are into the action early with Eun-Ha Jeoun doing well to spin out of traffic and feed the ball into feet between the lines. Kassi is alert to the danger and does well to hook a leg in and execute the tackle without conceding a free-kick.
70 mins: 19-year-old Sarah Kassi is coming on for Morocco to provide some fresh legs. The tiring Salma Amani makes way.
And a surprise substitution for Korea with Park – hitherto the focal point of Korea’s approach – replaced by Eun-Ha Jeoun.
68 mins: Korea continue to probe, but it’s all in innocuous areas. As soon as the ball is delivered into the box there are enough white shirts on hand to make the clearance.
66 mins: Hye-Ri Kim is again on set-piece duty, this time from outside the box on the right hand side. She curls over a dangerous cross but Hanane Ait El Haj times her head to perfection near the penalty spot.
65 mins: So fixated on defence are Morocco, they are punch-drunk heading forward. Can Korea find the inspiration to fashion a clear goalscoring opportunity?
63 mins: Korea are rising to the task in midfield. They win a couple of physical challenges that were going Morocco’s way in the first half, and it earns them another corner. Hye-Ji Hong flicks on the delivery at the near post, but there’s nobody at the far post to force it home.
62 mins: Morocco are failing to retain possession downfield, allowing Korea to camp themselves in attacking territory. Might be time for a change for the Atlas Lionesses with a couple of players starting to look off the pace.
60 mins: Hye-Ri Kim floats over a another set-piece, but it’s a little firmer this time and despite So-Hyun Cho coming in at pace at the far post she can only glance her effort wide.
58 mins: Hye-Ri Kim floats a tempting ball over the box that Er-Rmichi fails to deal with under pressure from Park. Morocco eventually clear but the second ball comes back in and Er-Rmichi is again at fault for conceding a corner when she had the chance to shepherd the danger out for a goal-kick.
57 mins: The long ball to Park is flicked on by the powerful striker to set up a decent phase of pressure for Korea, but Morocco are committed in defence and find a block or a challenge when it’s need. The latest of which, from Redouani concedes a corner.
55 mins: Morocco reply again down the left with the classy Tagnaout linking well with the overlapping Redouani to earn a corner. Chebbak’s delivery looks simple for Jung-Mi Kim but instead of catching she punches weakly – straight to Benzina – but her snapshot volley lobs over the bar.
54 mins: Korea’s substitutes have made an immediate impact, offering width and energy. Mi-Ra Moon, on the left, gets between the lines, but loses composure and smashes an aimless shot wide instead of recycling play.
53 mins: Korea look again for the angled ball into the box, this time it’s lower and skiddier, and it bounces off the now slick surface just out of reach of Park and into the arms of the Moroccan No 1.
51 mins: Benzina then finds Redouani on the left in a dangerous area. She rides a challenge and steams into the box, but gets caught between a cross and a shot and ends up only drawing a simple save from Jung-Mi Kim at her near post.
50 mins: Korea are beginning to link between the lines nicely, with So-Yun Ji increasingly influential. Her angled ball into the box is full of menace but Benzina climbs enough to get a head to it.
49 mins: Korea carry the ball unchallenged to the edge of Morocco’s box. The first sortie down the left is repelled but the second fashions a floated cross towards the penalty spot that Khadija Er-Rmichi does excellently to glide out and catch.
47 mins: Korea onto the front foot immediately after the resumption, probing first down the right, then looking for that long ball to Park again. Morocco are sloppy with their clearance and risk being sucked into a negative strategy to see out a narrow win instead of chasing further goals.
46 mins: The sunshine of the opening half has been replaced by gloom at the interval with rain in the air.
There’s a couple of changes at the break for Korea with Hyo-Joo Choo and
Hwa-Yeon Son being replaced by Yu-Ri Choe and Mi-Ra Moon.
The teams are back out ready for the second half.
Half-time: South Korea 0-1 Morocco
A surprise scoreline at the break, but it’s one Morocco deserve. They have created the best opportunities, and despite Korea dominating possession in the latter stages of the half, they have looked out of sync and short of inspiration.
Updated
45+2 mins: Morocco fashion an attack for the first time in age. Chebbak and Tagnaout link well down the left and the latter’s ball across the top of the box is decent but Amani loses control and everything fizzles out.
45+1 mins: Three minutes of added time to play at the end of the half.
45 mins: Still Korea press, and a regulation cross from the left causes panic in the box after Benzina gets caught under the ball for the second time this half. Zineb Redouani does enough to clear eventually.
44 mins: It’s a decent floated flat ball by Hye-Ri Kim but So-Hyun Cho can’t get enough on it sliding in at the far post to divert the ball back across the face.
42 mins: It’s still all-Korea, as it has been for the past few minutes, and they win a free-kick for an obstruction as two players chase a long ball into the right channel. Decent crossing opportunity.
40 mins: A short break while Nesryne El Chad receives treatment for taking a clearing volley flush in the face just inside her own penalty area.
39 mins: Korea are beginning to push higher and higher up the field, squeezing Morocco in midfield.
“Continuing the cinematic theme, Morroco’s manager is actually David Earl of Derek and Afterlife fame,” emails Andrew Neale. I confess to not knowing either show, so I’ll take your word for it. What I do know is that Colin Bell’s hair gel is putting in a serious shift remaining so stiff in this wind.
38 mins: Hanane Ait El Haj with some lovely skill in defence to get her side out of a tight spot. Jraidi backs it up with some powerful hold-up play near halfway to earn Morocco a free-kick and a chance to reset after a decent spell of Korean possession.
36 mins: Back to the long ball to Park it is, but Morocco are up to the physical challenge.
34 mins: Korea’s players are just not on the same wavelength so far. The defensive unit looks all at sea, and there’s very little cohesion further forward with passes being made for runs that don’t materialise.
33 mins: Korea’s defending is very questionable. A hopeful long ball is allowed to bounce and turn into a shanked clearance into the crowd. Morocco rebuild neatly from the base of midfield and after being fed through the lines Chebbak lets fly with her left boot, just wide.
31 mins: Again Morocco break dangerously down the left before running out of steam. The counter-press is dynamic though and Ouzraoui slides in to rob So-Yun Ji, but after getting back to her feet her left-footed effort from the edge of the box lacks intent.
29 mins: Close again for Morocco! From goalkeeper onwards it’s a slick move down the left. Tagnaout curls over a low cross, Amani takes it in her stride and from the angle of the six yard box smashes a half-volley high and wide.
28 mins: Both sides keep threatening to fashion chances with turnovers in midfield, but as soon as one wins back possession the other manages to steal it back off them.
26 mins: Down the other end Park is there to meet a dangerous cross but from the penalty spot their diving header flies narrowly wide. Excellent play on the left by So-Yun Ji in the lead-up to that chance, catching Benzina flat-footed in the box.
25 mins: Lovely transitional move by Morocco down the left featuring a host of white shirts. The cross at the end of it is begging to be put away, arcing temptingly out of reach of Jung-Mi Kim, but there’s nobody on hand to stick it home.
23 mins: It’s turnover-tastic in midfield with play stretched and opportunities for both teams if they can execute the killer pass, but Fatima Tagnaout is robbed in possession after more good work by Jraidi.
22 mins: Korea now have a foothold in this contest, but even as they claim territory they remain focussed on Park as a target, perhaps to their detriment.
20 mins: Korea’s defenders do not look like they want the ball anywhere near them, but a bouncing ball in their direction from midfield forces them into an impromptu rondo to clear their lines. They do well, eventually, and it begins their best move of the match with Sel-Gi Jang and So-Yun Ji linking well. The cross glances off Eun-Sun Park and drilled back across the face of goal but Hwa-Yeon Son can’t divert it on target.
18 mins: Korea with their first touches in Morocco’s box but there are plenty of white shirts around to smother any danger.
17 mins: Jraidi has started very promisingly up front for Morocco, leading the line on her own and controlling everything sent in her direction.
“Hi Jonathan,” great to have you on board Peter Oh. “I know this is sport not cinema, but the Korea gaffer bears a resemblance to David Lynch and the Morocco manager exudes a bit of Keanu Reeves. Decent dramatic action so far although the plot has yet to take shape.”
I’ll give you David Lynch. Reeves’ lawyers may be on the phone soon though with that comparison to Reynald Pedros!
15 mins: Almost two! The long ball to Jraidi is cushioned down, fed out to the left, and the returning cross is headed nervously onto the roof of the net by the back-pedalling Hong! Korea may still be adjusting to the late change, but this has been a very shaky start at the back.
13 mins: Morocco are working so hard up front and in midfield to deny Korea any time or space to play through the lines. Salma Amani is everywhere, hunting down Korean defenders.
12 mins: It’s all Morocco at the moment. They’re the only side looking to get the ball down and play, and they’re sharp in the tackle to regain posession when it slips from their grasp. Korea are very sluggish.
10 mins: Chebbak is busy again in midfield but her attempted ball inside the Korean right fullback is overhit and out for a goal kick.
8 mins: Korea are looking for the early direct ball to the powerful Eun-Sun Park to flick on, but Morocco are more urgent to the second balls, snuffing out any danger on the ground even if they lose the aerial battle.
GOAL! South Korea 0-1 Morocco (Jraidi, 6)
After Hong’s giveaway for a throw-in on the right, Hanane Ait El Haj whips in a teasing cross to the near post where Ibtissam Jraidi gets in front of her marker and glances a perfect header into the far corner for Morocco’s maiden World Cup goal! Stunning start for the North Africans.
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6 mins: Plenty of 50:50s in midfield with the ball bouncing awkwardly in the wind. Korea have yet to settle, as demonstrated by Hye-Ji Hong almost getting caught in possession.
4 mins: Nice build-up play by Morocco down the left featuring Chebbak’s neat footwork. Amani has pop from distance but it’s easily cleared before Ouzraoui makes a dangerous dart inside from the right to earn a corner. It’s not the best set piece, but a bright start from the underdogs nonetheless.
2 mins: Elodie Nakkach with an early reducer in midfield on So-Yun Ji as both teams acclimatise to the blustery conditions in South Australia.
Kick-off!
The battle to remain alive in Group H is under way.
Updated
It looks like there might be a late change for Korea with Lim Seon-Joo picking up an injury in the warm up. Seo-Yeon Shim comes into defence at the last minute.
Welcome to Country performed, anthems sung, pennants exchanged, it’s almost time for kick-off.
Out come the two sides onto the Hindmarsh Stadium turf. Adelaide currently bathed in sunshine. It’s a glorious scene.
If Morocco are going to earn their first point(s) in World Cup history, a lot will rest on star forward Ghizlane Chebbak.
Korea have impressive results in their locker. They beat World Cup rivals Australia and Philippines en route to the final of the 2022 Asian Cup, and led China 2-0 after an hour of the decider, only to lose 3-2. A year previously they held the USA to a 0-0 draw, ending the UWSNT’s 22-match home winning streak. Their fans will expect to win today.
Edina Alves Batista from Brazil takes charge of her second match of the tournament after overseeing Australia v Ireland on the opening day.
South Korea will be in red this afternoon, Morocco in white.
Casey Phair made the headlines in round one when the American-born Korean became the youngest player to feature at a Women’s World Cup. She will be eager to gain more experience off the bench today.
عملية الإحماء لمنتخبنا الوطني النسوي
— Équipe du Maroc (@EnMaroc) July 30, 2023
It's warm-up time for our Women's National Team#DimaMaghrib 🇲🇦 #OneGameOneFamily #AtlasLionesses pic.twitter.com/wfxWl7WC23
It’s a mild winter’s day in Adelaide but a stiff northwesterly breeze will make for tricky playing conditions, and it may also blow a shower or two through the City of Churches. Despite the weather, the players should at least enjoy Hindmarsh Stadium, a well-proportioned football-first venue praised consistently by Australia’s professional footballers. Crowds of around 13,000 have already witnessed victories to Brazil and China already this tournament.
Updated
We’re under half-an-hour from kick-off, which gives you just enough time to catch up on the latest Women’s Football Weekly podcast.
Pretty awesome to see so many Moroccan fans here at Hindmarsh! #WWC2023 @abcnews pic.twitter.com/RTsNyo3vzf
— Bernadette Clarke (@cbernadette96) July 30, 2023
If you want to get up to speed on today’s squads, you’ve come to the right place.
It will be an historic occasion for women’s football today with the recalled Nouhaila Benzina becoming the first player to appear at the World Cup wearing hijab. The rule to allow the headcovering was made in 2014, and nine years later the Moroccan defender will be the first to make use of it.
Morocco XI
Changes for Reynald Pedros as well with Nouhaila Benzina and Nesryne El Chad coming into defence, Salma Amani into midfield, and Ibtissam Jraidi in attack. 4-4-1-1 for the Atlas Lionesses.
التشكيلة الرسمية لمنتخبنا الوطني النسوي أمام منتخب كوريا الجنوبية 🇰🇷
— Équipe du Maroc (@EnMaroc) July 30, 2023
🚨Here's our starting XI for today's match against South Korea #DimaMaghrib 🇲🇦 #OneGameOneFamily #AtlasLionesses pic.twitter.com/KmUyRX9d3N
South Korea XI
Colin Bell has made three changes to the side that lost to Colombia. 38-year-old Jung-Mi Kim takes her place between the sticks following Young-Geul Yoon’s howler against in round one. Elsewhere, Hye-Ji Hong slots into defence and Eun-Sun Park bolsters the attack. It looks like a 3-5-2 set-up, with Brighton’s Geum-Min Lee the only member of the starting XI not playing club football in Korea.
[𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗥𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗫𝗜] 모로코전에 출전하는 🇰🇷여자축구국가대표팀의 선발명단을 공개합니다!
— theKFA (@theKFA) July 30, 2023
📌Non-playing 류지수
✔2023 FIFA 호주·뉴질랜드 여자월드컵 조별리그 2차전
🇰🇷v🇲🇦#모로코 07.30(일) 13:30 🏟힌드마시스타디움
📺KBS2, MBC, SBS ⏰한국시간 기준#고강도 #높게강하게도전하라 pic.twitter.com/38EdszFN6y
Preamble
Hello everybody and welcome to live coverage of South Korea v Morocco from Hindmarsh Stadium in Adelaide. Kick-off in Match 32 of World Cup 2023 is 2pm local time / 2.30pm AEST / 5.30 am BST.
Korea, ranked 17th in the world, and runners-up at the most recent Asian Cup, arrive desperate for a win to keep their hopes of reaching the knockout phase alive. They were undone 2-0 by an effervescent Colombia in their opening encounter, and with Germany to come, they dare not leave Adelaide without three points.
Expectations are lower for Morocco. Ranked 76th in the world when the draw was made, the Atlas Lionesses qualified as runners-up in the 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations. On World Cup debut, they were handed a lesson by an in-form Germany, going down 6-0 in Melbourne. They haven’t won a match or scored a goal in their last six international fixtures.
I’ll be back with team news and insights from the two camps shortly. If you want to get in touch at any point you can always send me an email.
