Morocco plays favored Norway to stunning draw
Morocco plays favored Norway to stunning draw
MONTPELLIER (Agencies): Morocco showed it will be a force to be reckoned with in France by holding favored Norway to a 2-2 draw in their first Group A match here Wednesday.
The red-and-green shirts went a long way toward proving the prophecy of World Cup organizer Michel Platini that African teams would have powerful impact on this World Cup by forcing the Scandinavians to an unexpectedly difficult game.
Playing a fast-paced, attacking game, Morocco twice went in front with talented midfielder Moustafa El Hadji and striker Abdeljili Hadda.
Norway, which is expected to qualify for the second round behind Brazil, needed help from a Moroccan defender for its first goal before clinching the definite 2-2 equalizer with Dan Eggen in the 61st minute.
Morocco's French coach, 50-year-old Henri Michel, was far from enthusiastic about the game's outcome.
"I am disappointed by this result because we conceded two very unlucky goals. We definitely have to improve on our defending," Michel said.
"But one point is better than nothing," he added.
Contrary to expectations, his Norwegian counterpart, Egil Olsen, seemed the most pleased of the two: "We met a very strong team, I was very impressed by their performance. All in all I am quite satisfied with the draw."
Bright red was the dominant color at the Stade de la Mosson in Montpellier as fans from Morocco and Norway blended cheerfully on the tightly-packed stands at least an hour before kick off.
Ranked by FIFA six places in front of Morocco, the Scandinavians were the ones expected to make the game.
Barring an initial 15 minutes of greater ball possession, it was physical stature rather than technique that distinguished the two sides, with the tall Norwegian strikers often overpowering Morocco's smaller defenders.
Confidence
Big striker Tore Andre Flo was a constant threat and the Norwegians' neat interplay looked like finding a way through. However, as Morocco soaked up the pressure it grew in confidence and Hadji twice tested keeper Frode Grodas with long-range efforts.
The Africans took the lead when Hadji, playing through the pain of a broken toe, latched on to a sweeping 40-meter pass by Tahare El Khalej, cut inside Eggen and drove a powerful shot low past Grodas.
The equalizer came in first half injury time when Youssef Chippo, back defending a free kick, headed the ball into his own net after Henning Berg had beaten keeper Driss Benzekri to Kjetil Rekdal's cross.
Morocco shrugged off the disappointment and poured forward after the break.
Hadda went close with a diving header in the 57th minute and was celebrating two minutes later.
Once again it was a telling long ball by El Khalej that sent him clear and after killing the ball beautifully he held off Eggen's challenge to score.
However, the lead lasted just three minutes and 'keeper Benzekri was again at fault. He failed to hold a Stig Bjornebye corner and the ball fell invitingly for Eggen to stoop and head home.
Norway substitute Stale Solbakken almost scored with his first touch soon after but saw his effort cleared off the line.
As the Moroccans tired, Norway finished on top, but were unable to find another way past the commanding Naybet and his well-organized colleagues.
Man-of-the-match Hadji is now convinced Morocco can create some headaches even to incumbent Brazil, which defeated Scotland 2-1 in the inauguration match earlier in the day.
"I am convinced that Morocco will be the surprise team of the group and I don't see why we can't cause some problems for Brazil. "After all we don't have that much to lose," Hadji said.
Morocco plays its next game against Brazil in Nantes on June 16.
In Rabat, thousands of Moroccans took to the streets, blowing car horns and bellowing soccer chants, after their side's draw with Norway.
Moroccan leading daily Le Matin summed up the enthusiastic mood yesterday, saying Morocco was and remained a great soccer nation.
"Morocco has confounded all forecasts and forced the admiration of all observers by giving a beautiful soccer lesson to the too self-confident Norwegians who have been proclaiming their superiority for weeks," the newspaper said.
Group A table (tabulated under games played, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against and points):
Brazil 1 1 0 0 2 1 3
Morocco 1 0 1 0 2 2 1
Norway 1 0 1 0 2 2 1
Scotland 1 0 0 1 1 2 0