Morocco plays favored Norway to stunning draw<\/p>\n
MONTPELLIER (Agencies): Morocco showed it will be a force to
\nbe reckoned with in France by holding favored Norway to a 2-2
\ndraw in their first Group A match here Wednesday.<\/p>\n
The red-and-green shirts went a long way toward proving the
\nprophecy of World Cup organizer Michel Platini that African teams
\nwould have powerful impact on this World Cup by forcing the
\nScandinavians to an unexpectedly difficult game.<\/p>\n
Playing a fast-paced, attacking game, Morocco twice went in
\nfront with talented midfielder Moustafa El Hadji and striker
\nAbdeljili Hadda.<\/p>\n
Norway, which is expected to qualify for the second round
\nbehind Brazil, needed help from a Moroccan defender for its first
\ngoal before clinching the definite 2-2 equalizer with Dan Eggen
\nin the 61st minute.<\/p>\n
Morocco's French coach, 50-year-old Henri Michel, was far from
\nenthusiastic about the game's outcome.<\/p>\n
\"I am disappointed by this result because we conceded two very
\nunlucky goals. We definitely have to improve on our defending,\"
\nMichel said.<\/p>\n
\"But one point is better than nothing,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Contrary to expectations, his Norwegian counterpart, Egil
\nOlsen, seemed the most pleased of the two: \"We met a very strong
\nteam, I was very impressed by their performance. All in all I am
\nquite satisfied with the draw.\"<\/p>\n
Bright red was the dominant color at the Stade de la Mosson in
\nMontpellier as fans from Morocco and Norway blended cheerfully on
\nthe tightly-packed stands at least an hour before kick off.<\/p>\n
Ranked by FIFA six places in front of Morocco, the
\nScandinavians were the ones expected to make the game.<\/p>\n
Barring an initial 15 minutes of greater ball possession, it
\nwas physical stature rather than technique that distinguished the
\ntwo sides, with the tall Norwegian strikers often overpowering
\nMorocco's smaller defenders.<\/p>\n
Confidence<\/p>\n
Big striker Tore Andre Flo was a constant threat and the
\nNorwegians' neat interplay looked like finding a way through.
\nHowever, as Morocco soaked up the pressure it grew in confidence
\nand Hadji twice tested keeper Frode Grodas with long-range
\nefforts.<\/p>\n
The Africans took the lead when Hadji, playing through the
\npain of a broken toe, latched on to a sweeping 40-meter pass by
\nTahare El Khalej, cut inside Eggen and drove a powerful shot low
\npast Grodas.<\/p>\n
The equalizer came in first half injury time when Youssef
\nChippo, back defending a free kick, headed the ball into his own
\nnet after Henning Berg had beaten keeper Driss Benzekri to Kjetil
\nRekdal's cross.<\/p>\n
Morocco shrugged off the disappointment and poured forward
\nafter the break.<\/p>\n
Hadda went close with a diving header in the 57th minute and
\nwas celebrating two minutes later.<\/p>\n
Once again it was a telling long ball by El Khalej that sent
\nhim clear and after killing the ball beautifully he held off
\nEggen's challenge to score.<\/p>\n
However, the lead lasted just three minutes and 'keeper
\nBenzekri was again at fault. He failed to hold a Stig Bjornebye
\ncorner and the ball fell invitingly for Eggen to stoop and head
\nhome.<\/p>\n
Norway substitute Stale Solbakken almost scored with his first
\ntouch soon after but saw his effort cleared off the line.<\/p>\n
As the Moroccans tired, Norway finished on top, but were
\nunable to find another way past the commanding Naybet and his
\nwell-organized colleagues.<\/p>\n
Man-of-the-match Hadji is now convinced Morocco can create
\nsome headaches even to incumbent Brazil, which defeated Scotland
\n2-1 in the inauguration match earlier in the day.<\/p>\n
\"I am convinced that Morocco will be the surprise team of the
\ngroup and I don't see why we can't cause some problems for
\nBrazil. \"After all we don't have that much to lose,\" Hadji said.<\/p>\n
Morocco plays its next game against Brazil in Nantes on June
\n16.<\/p>\n
In Rabat, thousands of Moroccans took to the streets, blowing
\ncar horns and bellowing soccer chants, after their side's draw
\nwith Norway.<\/p>\n
Moroccan leading daily Le Matin summed up the enthusiastic
\nmood yesterday, saying Morocco was and remained a great soccer
\nnation.<\/p>\n
\"Morocco has confounded all forecasts and forced the
\nadmiration of all observers by giving a beautiful soccer lesson
\nto the too self-confident Norwegians who have been proclaiming
\ntheir superiority for weeks,\" the newspaper said.<\/p>\n
Group A table (tabulated under games played, drawn, lost, goals
\nfor, goals against and points):<\/p>\n
Brazil 1 1 0 0 2 1 3<\/p>\n
Morocco 1 0 1 0 2 2 1<\/p>\n
Norway 1 0 1 0 2 2 1<\/p>\n
Scotland 1 0 0 1 1 2 0<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/morocco-plays-favored-norway-to-stunning-draw-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }