Canada draws Morocco in Round of 16 after win over Netherlands on penalties Canada will face Morocco in the Round of 16 at the FIFA World Cup following a dramatic 1-1 draw with the Netherlands in Monterrey on Monday night. The match, decided by a penalty shootout, saw Morocco advance with a 3-2 victory after neither team could find a goal in extra time. The Atlas Lions’ triumph sets up a showdown with Canada on Saturday afternoon in Houston, marking the first time the two nations will meet in the knockout stage since their 2022 World Cup group clash. The Netherlands took an early lead, but Morocco’s Issa Diop equalized in the 90th minute with a header that deflected off a defender. The deadlock was broken in the penalty shootout, where Morocco’s Soufiane Rahimi, Chemsdine Talbi, and Ismael Saibari converted their kicks, while the Netherlands missed two attempts. The result advances Morocco to the Round of 16, where they will face Canada, a team that finished second in their group with four points. Morocco’s path to the knockout stage was marked by a strong group performance, earning seven points from two wins and a draw in Group C. However, they finished second to Brazil on goal differential. Canada, meanwhile, secured their place in the Round of 16 with a 6-0 win over Qatar in Vancouver, following a 1-0 victory over South Africa in the Round of 32. The Canadian team, managed by Jesse Marsch, had previously drawn with Bosnia and Herzegovina in their opening match. The matchup against Morocco carries historical significance, as the two teams met in the 2022 World Cup group stage. Morocco defeated Canada 2-1 on December 1, 2022, with a two-goal lead and a late own goal from Canada.#morocco #canada #fifa_world_cup #jessie_marsch #issa_diop
Scotland's Steve Clarke Disappointed by Morocco's Issa Diop's Avoided Red Card and Slow Start in World Cup Defeat Scotland manager Steve Clarke expressed disappointment after Morocco’s Issa Diop escaped a red card for a foul on Ché Adams during their 1-0 World Cup defeat at Foxborough on Friday. The match, which saw Scotland concede a goal just 70 seconds into the game, marked a challenging start for the team as they struggled to find rhythm against the North African side. The decisive moment came when Morocco’s Brahim Díaz delivered a through ball to Ismael Saibari, who capitalized on the gap in Scotland’s defense to score the opening goal. Clarke criticized the defending team’s inability to contain the attack in the first half, noting that their slow start allowed Morocco to dominate early. “We lost a poor goal,” Clarke said, adding that the team’s approach in the opening moments of the game was flawed. “They showed energy and invention, and we tried to step up and let runners go, which didn’t work.” Clarke also lamented the referee’s decision not to send off Diop for a last-man foul on Adams in the first half. While the VAR confirmed the yellow card, the manager questioned whether the challenge warranted a red card. “For me, Che might be clear through on goal,” Clarke told the BBC. “On another day, you might get those decisions.” He acknowledged the difficulty of challenging such calls but emphasized the team’s resilience in responding to the setback. The Scottish defense faced further scrutiny as Clarke noted several marginal decisions that went against his team. While he refrained from criticizing the referee for not awarding penalties on John McGinn and Scott McTominay in the second half, he highlighted the frustration of players like Ryan Christie, who believed the challenge on McGinn could have been a penalty.#morocco #scotland #brahim_diaz #steve_clarke #issa_diop
