In a remarkable turn of events, Morocco claimed its first-ever victory in a Women’s World Cup match, stunning South Korea with a 1-0 win thanks to Ibtissam Jraidi’s early strike on Sunday.
After suffering a crushing 6-0 defeat against Germany in their World Cup debut, this hard-fought triumph rekindled Morocco’s improbable hopes of advancing to the last 16 in the tournament held in Australia and New Zealand.
The historic win for Morocco also marked another milestone as defender Nouhaila Benzina became the first player to wear a hijab at the Women’s World Cup.
Under the guidance of French coach Reynald Pedros, Morocco wasted no time taking the lead, with Jraidi heading the ball into the far corner expertly from Hanane Ait El Haj’s cross just six minutes into the game in front of a crowd of over 13,000 fans in Adelaide.
Despite being considered underdogs due to their low ranking at 72 in the world, Morocco outperformed the 17th-ranked Korean team from the start, leaving them shell-shocked.
Although Colin Bell’s Korean side picked up momentum towards the end of the first half, they struggled to find a breakthrough, similar to their 2-0 opening defeat against Colombia.
With the pressure building, the passionate crowd rooted for the Koreans in the second half as they fought to keep their World Cup dreams alive. South Korea had numerous attempts at goal but failed to find the target in all ten of their efforts.
In the tense final ten minutes, the Koreans charged towards Morocco’s goal with three players on two, only for Benzina to deliberately foul an advancing Korean attacker and receive a yellow card.
In a bold move, Bell introduced 16-year-old attacker Casey Phair, the youngest player ever to feature at a Women’s World Cup. However, Morocco’s defense held strong, securing a gritty victory that left South Korea facing the possibility of an early exit from Group H.
This momentous triumph for Morocco not only lifted the spirits of the team but also highlighted the potential of emerging nations in women’s football, adding to the excitement and unpredictability of the Women’s World Cup.