Morocco, with its victory over Portugal (1-0) at the Al Thumama stadium in Doha, is the first African team to qualify for a World Cup semifinal since Saturday. Before the Moroccan feat in Qatar 2022, three teams from the African continent stayed at the gates of the semifinals. Roger Milla’s legendary Cameroon in Italy 1990, Senegal in Japan-South Korea in 2002 and Ghana in South Africa 2010. But Morocco’s records in the World Cup go back to what it did in Mexico in 1970 and in 1986. With the amazing records achieved in Qatar 2022 this is the list of ten Moroccan milestones.
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1. Morocco was the first team from Africa to score points in a World Cup. He did it by drawing 1-1 with Bulgaria at the close of Group 4 in Mexico 1970 (the goal was scored by Mahjoub Ghazouani). The key was completed by Federal Germany and Peru.
two. In that group, Morocco made its debut against Germany, which it defeated 1-0, when it took the lead with a goal from Houmane Jarir (21 minutes) until Uwe Seeler equalized (56). With 10 minutes remaining, Morocco lost 2-1 because Gerd Muller scored.
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3. In Mexico 1986, Morocco set more records for African soccer by being the first team from that continent to finish first in its group (F). They did so thanks to two 0-0 draws with Poland and England and a 3-1 win over Portugal (a brace from Abdelrazzak Khairi and a goal from Abdelkrim Krimau). The Moroccans completed 4 points, followed by England and Poland, with 3 each; and Portugal, with 2.
Four. Morocco was, in Mexico 1986, by winning Group F, the first African team to qualify for the next round of a World Cup. In that round they lost 1-0 to West Germany, with a goal that reached the 87th minute through Lothar Matthaeus.
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5. He played the World Cups in the United States 1994, France 1998 and Russia 2018, being eliminated in the group stage three times. However, in nine games they achieved two important results: they thrashed Scotland -3-0 (1998) and drew 2-2 with Spain (2018).
6. Morocco became the only African team in Qatar 2022 to win its group twice (F, over Croatia, Belgium and Canada). He did it before in Mexico 1986. He beat Cameroon, who got it in Italy 1990; and Nigeria, which seized sector D in the United States in 1994.
7. He did not stop making history in Qatar 2022, by eliminating Spain in the round of 16, after 0-0 in 120 minutes. In the penalty shootout, Morocco ended its unbeaten arc by winning 3-0, to advance to the quarterfinals for the first time.
8. This Saturday Morocco put its name in the FIFA record books by being the first representative of Africa in a World Cup semifinals. He beat Portugal 1-0 in the quarterfinals and on a rebound he fired Cristiano Ronaldo from this type of tournament.
9. The best defense of the 2022 World Cup is that of Morocco, with only one goal conceded in five games (it was against, in the 2-1 win over Canada). His average is 0.2 points accepted per game.
10. In Qatar 2022 Morocco has 390 minutes without European teams scoring goals (Croatia, Belgium and Portugal could not each in 80 minutes. Neither did Spain, but in 120). (D)
Source: Eluniverso
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