World Cup 2022: Passionate Footballing Nations Prepare for Qatar Opener

Croatia vs Morocco

One of the special things about a World Cup 2022 is that it throws up fixtures like this.

A meeting between two nations with compelling, yet very different histories, both of whom share a real passion for football.

That should be evident in the Al-Bayt Stadium on Wednesday morning.

Talking Points

Morocco have always been a side that intrigue me, ever since as a child I followed their progress in 1986 in Mexico where there were plenty of World Cup highlights.

Then the North Africans topped Group F after holding both Poland and England to goalless draws and defeating Portugal 3–1.

By doing so, they became the first African team, and only the second nation from outside Europe and the Americas (after North Korea in 1966), to reach the second round.

Even then, they continued to provide stern opposition, only bowing out to eventual finalists West Germany thanks to an 87th minute free kick from Lothar Matthaus.

They impressed me again 33 years later when I saw their progress at the African Cup of Nations, including a 1-0 win over the 2015 champions Ivory Coast, before a shock penalty shoot-out defeat at the hands of Benin in the last 16.

Back in 1986 when Morocco first came to my attention, Croatia weren’t even on the radar, the national team not formed until 1994 following the dissolution of Yugoslavia.

Since then, they have been produced some truly wonderful moments on the international scene, including their Euro 96 odyssey, the 1998 World Cup when they finished third and produced the tournament’s top scorer in Davor Suker and, most recently, the 2018 World Cup when they dismantled Argentina on their way to the final when they may have prevailed but for a shocking penalty decision.

As they prepare to face Morocco in their Group F opener on Wednesday, they retain a classy midfield which can still dictate games and a new-look defence. In recent years, manager Zlatko Dalic has reunited and reshaped the team with fresh additions, emerging with renewed confidence and public approval. Certainly, to top a Nations League group which comprised the nation which beat them in the 2018 final, France, along with Denmark and Austria, was a fine achievement.

However, a versatile squad lacks an established goal-scoring presence up front which could cost them in the knockout stages.

And with Spain or Germany potentially awaiting in the last 16, I think they will struggle to reach the latter stages.

Morocco would, presumably, be delighted to make the last 16 in what is a second successive Word Cup for the Atlas Lions.

They qualified for Qatar without many of the mainstays from four years ago and there is certainly stardust in a hard-working squad in Achraf Hakimi and Hakim Ziyech, along with veteran Nordin Amrabat who provides balance in midfield.

Coach Walid Regragui also has the likes of Romain Saïss and Yassine Bounou at his disposal.

The disadvantage is that he and his players are still getting used to each other as he was only appointed two and a half months ago.

In August 2019, following the departure of Herve Renard, the team started a long process of rejuvenation under the surveillance of Vahid Halilhodzic, one of the most charismatic yet unlucky coaches in the world.

The Bosnian shook up the squad, managing to blend inexperienced players with the old guard and taking the team to the World Cup. However, a poor Africa Cup of Nations and a fallout with Ziyech cost him his job in August; it is the third time he has taken a country to a World Cup but left his post before the start of the tournament.

Regragui replaced him with very little time to prepare and that may a key factor against settled nations such as Croatia and Belgium.

History

This will be only the second match between these two countries.

The only one to date came in December 1996 in a tournament called the Casablanca Cup when they played out a 2-2 draw before Croatia, who went onto reach the World Cup semi-finals 18 months later, triumphed 7-6 on penalties.

Goran Vlaovic netted twice in as many minutes in the first quarter of an hour of the game before Salahedine Bassir quickly pulled one back and Ahmed Bahja levelled with 18 minutes remaining.

Betting Tip

The SBOTOP World Cup betting odds offer Croatia 1X2 @ 2.09 and Asian Handicap -0.75 @ 2.42, while Morocco are available 1X2 @ 3.65 and Asian Handicap 0.00 @ 2.96.

If their second ever meeting is going to end as the first – Correct Score 2-2 – then odds of @ 18.50 await.

 

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