Third place playoff: Croatia 2 – 1 Morocco
9:30AM MOROCCO BACK AFRICA FOR WORLD CUP GLORY
Morocco coach Walid Regragui mentioned he believes an African group will win the World Cup within the subsequent “15 to 20 years” after his group completed fourth in Qatar.
The Atlas Lions, who grew to become the primary African World Cup semi-finalists in historical past, misplaced Saturday’s third place playoff 2-1 towards 2018 runners-up Croatia however captured the creativeness in Qatar.
The subsequent World Cup in 2026, held throughout the USA, Canada and Mexico, might be expanded to 48 groups and Africa can have not less than 9 slots – up from 5 at current.
“With nine participants, we’re going to learn. In 15, 20 years, I’m sure an African team will win the World Cup because we’ll have learned,” mentioned Regragui.
“We have a stage to get past. We need to build on that, with hard work and desire. This DNA is not just being built for Morocco, but for the continent.” Morocco completed prime of a bunch together with Croatia and Belgium, who got here third on the 2018 World Cup, earlier than knocking out Spain and Portugal to succeed in the final 4.
Their run was ended within the semi-finals by defending champions France, however Regragui has urged his gamers to again up their historic show by successful subsequent yr’s Africa Cup of Nations.
“I said to the players in the changing room, if you want to go down in history then you’re going to have to win the Africa Cup of Nations,” mentioned Regragui.
“We need to dominate our continent.” Morocco have been topped African champions simply as soon as, in 1976, however their performances on the World Cup demonstrated they’re a group on the rise underneath Regragui, who was solely appointed in August.
“Tomorrow morning we’ll take stock and all realise we’ve pulled off a fantastic achievement here. We’ve earned a great deal of experience in a short space of time,” mentioned Regragui.
“We’ve gone further than expected but it’s not enough. It needs to set an example for the future. I hope that everybody (in Africa) will learn from the experience.
“We’ve got a great future ahead of us and we’ll keep moving forward. “Of course we have the objective of winning the World Cup one day. There’s going to be more pressure on us going forward and hopefully there will be more African teams following our example.
“We’ve shown we can go toe to toe with top teams. Really very small details determine these games.”
6:24am ‘LIKE GOLD TO US’: CROATIA CLAIMS BRONZE MEDAL WIN OVER MOROCCO
Croatia defeated Morocco 2-1 within the World Cup third place playoff on Saturday, with Mislav Orsic curling house the winner.
Josko Gvardiol, one of many stars of the match in Qatar, headed Croatia into the lead within the seventh minute on the Khalifa International Stadium however Achraf Dari introduced Morocco degree immediately.
Orsic’s terrific curling strike late within the first half ensured Croatia took house the bronze medal, the eleventh World Cup in a row a European group has completed third.
“It’s a bronze medal but for us it’s like a gold medal,” Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic mentioned.
Walid Regragui, the Morocco coach, mentioned there was rather a lot for his group to proudly mirror on after they grew to become the primary African semi-finalists in World Cup historical past.
“It’s a bitter defeat but I think it’s deserved,” mentioned Regragui. “We have a team that never gave in. We’ll remember a lot of matches, we’re going to come back stronger. We’ve united our country for a month, everybody was happy.” Morocco, who had by no means gone past the final 16 earlier than this World Cup, had signalled their intent with a spirited show towards 2018 runners-up Croatia of their opening sport in Qatar.
The rematch was nothing just like the cagey 0-0 draw within the group stage, with Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou dangerously near passing the ball into his personal web early on.
Croatia quickly surged in entrance from a well-rehearsed free-kick as Ivan Perisic nodded Lovro Majer’s clip into the field again in direction of a diving Gvardiol, who planted his header into the nook.
But Morocco hit again two minutes later when Hakim Ziyech’s free-kick looped up off the pinnacle of Majer, permitting Dari to move previous Dominik Livakovic.
Andrej Kramaric headed straight at Bounou, who then did effectively to scoop the ball to security as Marko Livaja closed in after he spilt a drive from Luka Modric.
Orsic curled in brilliantly by way of the publish from the nook of the field to place Croatia again on prime earlier than halftime after 18-year-old Morocco debutant Bilal El Khannouss misplaced the ball deep in his half.
Orsic once more went shut moments after the restart, his goalbound effort brushing Jawad El Yamiq and fizzing narrowly previous the publish.
Croatia had been livid when Gvardiol tumbled inside the realm when his foot seemed to be caught by Sofyan Amrabat, however there was no VAR assessment.
It might have proved a match-changing second had Youssef En-Nesyri discovered a well past Livakovic, who unfold himself beautifully to dam the striker from shut vary.
Mateo Kovacic put large with the possibility to place the sport past doubt. Morocco had a late penalty attraction turned down and En-Nesyri headed simply over however the Atlas Lions couldn’t discover a method again after their historic run.
‘IDIOT’S POSITION’: MOROCCO COACH SLAMS THIRD-PLACE FIXTURE
On Saturday, a Morocco aspect whose history-making run to the semi-finals caught the world’s creativeness have an opportunity to win the bronze medal.
They will face Croatia, the crushed finalists in 2018 who exceeded expectations in Qatar to succeed in the semi-finals solely to be abruptly halted by an impressed Messi and his protégé Julian Alvarez.
Walid Regragui, the coach of Morocco, the primary African or Arab aspect ever to succeed in the final 4 of the World Cup, mentioned the third-place playoff “annoys me a little”.
“It’s always very difficult for the two teams after such a big disappointment as losing a semi-final, to play another match two days later,” Regragui mentioned in a press convention.
“As far as I’m concerned, you are in the idiot’s position if you are third or fourth.”
However, Croatia ahead Andrej Kramaric mentioned his teammates’ motivation can be excessive as a result of successful a medal would “make you a hero for all time” within the nation of three.9 million folks.
Sunday’s last on the 89,000-capacity Lusail Stadium will deliver one of the crucial controversial World Cups in historical past to an in depth.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino shrugged off criticism of the occasion, describing it because the “best World Cup ever”.
“The World Cup has been an incredible success on all fronts,” Infantino mentioned in a press convention on Friday.
“The main one being the fans, the behaviour, the joyful atmosphere, the bringing of people together. The fans meeting the Arab world, it has been very important for the future of all of us.”
Infantino mentioned the match had exceeded income predictions within the 4 years resulting in 2022, rising to a document $7.5 billion – $1 billion greater than the earlier four-year interval resulting in the 2018 World Cup.
He mentioned FIFA anticipated revenues to extend to $11 billion within the years resulting in the 2026 match, which is able to develop from 32 to 48 groups. That match is being collectively hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
“We are convinced the impact of the game will be massive,” Infantino mentioned. “It has been massive here and it will be incredible in North America.”
Originally revealed as FIFA World Cup 2022: Croatia v Morocco, Third place playoff, outcomes, schedule
