World Cup 2022: Can Morocco Really Go All the Way?

France vs Morocco

The Al Bayt Stadium will be a sea of red on Wednesday night when the magnificent Atlas Lions of Morocco take on the world champions from France.

This has been an incredible World Cup 2022 for Walid Regragui’s team and Marrakesh will be bouncing, whatever the outcome of this greatly anticipated semi-final. The Lions have already seen off Belgium, Spain and Portugal and have one of the best defensive records in world football.

But now they come up against the very best.     

France head coach Didier Deschamps masterminded a 2-1 win over England to book his team’s place in the last four and, following the demise of Brazil in a penalty shootout against Croatia, the latest World Cup 2022 betting odds have installed Les Bleus as favourites to lift the trophy next Sunday.

This is a game you really can’t afford to miss! 

Talking Points

France can make their own history

Morocco have stolen a lot of the football headlines over the past week with their incredible achievements, but Les Bleus are on their own mission to write some history as they can become the second nation to defend their world title after the great Brazil sides of 1958 and 1962.

Deschamps’ team has evolved a little since they lifted the World Title in Russia in 2018 but the core of keeper and captain, Hugo Lloris, centre-back Raphael Varane, and strikers Antoine Griezmann, Olivier Giroud, and the phenomenon that is Kylian Mbappe are still performing at the very highest level.

Even though they weren’t at their best in the quarter-final, two moments of world-class football beat the Three Lions. First Aurelien Tchouameni fired in a 25-yard bullet to open the scoring and, after England had fought back to level, Griezmann sent in a brilliant cross which Giroud headed home. That put the AC Milan veteran on four goals for the tournament and he has joined five goal Mbappe in the race for the Golden Boot. 

In the centre of midfield, 27-year-old Adrien Rabiot has been a revelation, and described by his manager as the ‘complete midfielder’. In the absence of N’Golo Kante, Rabiot has bossed the midfield and been a superb foil for the emerging talent of Tchouameni. He was tracked by Manchester United in the summer but Juventus will be pleased he is still a Bianconeri.

This is a group of players ready to reclaim their title.

What can Morocco learn from Tunisia? 

The Atlas Lions have done a pretty good job of beating the top nations on the planet, for a team ranked 22^nd in the world by FIFA. And they are not without some stars of their own. Sevilla striker Youssef En Nesyri showed passion and determination to beat the Portugal keeper and defender to plant his powerful header home and see off the Selecao. Sofyan Amrabat has been immense in defensive midfield throughout the competition and his work has allowed the flair players, such as Chelsea’s Hakim Ziyech and PSG’s Achraf Hakimi to thrive. And En Nesyri’s club mate Bounou has been immense in goal, earning his 50^th cap for the Atlas Lions in a superb tournament. 

France have already been beaten in Qatar, by Morocco’s neighbours in Tunisia as Whabi Khazari scored the only goal of the group game. Les Bleus were already through and Deschamps had made wholesale changes, but his squad is deep and the result was still a shock. Tunisia conceded 65 per cent possession and lost the shot count by ten to five; but with three shots on target they matched their opponents.

Morocco can do the same, they are an upgrade on Tunisia, but that result shows that Les Bleus can be beaten if you are at your very best in attack and stay compact.         

History

Morocco have already made history, of course, as the first African nation to make the final four and they are ready to makes some more… and why not? The Atlas Lions have had better World Cup 2022 results than their illustrious opponents and, over the last six games have won five and drawn one while Les Bleus have won four and lost two.

The two teams have met just once in history and played out a 2-2 draw in a friendly back in 2007.   

Betting Tip

Les Bleus are red-hot favourites to win this tie, at SBOTOP odds of 1.56, while the Atlas Lions are definitely in with a decent chance at 3.80 to draw and 6.00 to win. 

Deschamps knows how hard this match is going to be and Les Bleus will not take anything for granted. They are yet to keep a clean sheet in Qatar and the Atlas Lions have a brilliant defensive record. I would not be at all surprised to see this finish at 1-1 in 90 minutes and then…probably a France victory. But this World Cup just keeps on throwing out surprises.

 

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