facing Spain, Morocco has an appointment with its history

hot in front

Morocco-Spain and Portugal-Switzerland

Thirty-six years later, the Moroccan national team is back in the round of 16 of a World Cup. At the time, in 1986, the Atlas Lions had stopped at this stage of the competition against West Germany, future finalist of the Mexican tournament; the fault of a direct free kick scored by Lothar Matthaus at the very end of the match (1-0 defeat).

This year, the players of Walid Regragui are opposed to Spain, a selection which owes its qualification in part to the victory of… Germany against Costa Rica, during the last day of group E. “ We hope to create a surprise”, said the coach of the Atlas Lions at a press conference. To his players, winners of Belgium and Canada in the first round, he wants to integrate the following mantra: “No complexes, no regrets, and playing football. »

Tuesday, December 6, Morocco will not be the only national team that will have the opportunity to dust off the history books. Since 1954 and the edition of the World Cup within its borders, Switzerland has not won a knockout match in the World Cup. Opposed to Portugal in the round of 16, the Nati has arguments to finally achieve this.

At the end of the first round (victories against Cameroon and Serbia, narrow defeat against Brazil), the results are promising. “We can beat Portugal”said the coach, Murat Yakin, in a press conference… After all, had he not announced before the tournament that the 26 Swiss players present in Qatar formed “the best Swiss national team that has ever existed” ?

The winners of the last two round of 16 of the World Cup will meet in the quarterfinals on Saturday, December 10, at 4 p.m. in Doha.

full throttle

Dominik A+

By stopping three of the four Japanese attempts during the penalty shootout of the round of 16 of the World Cup between Croatia and Japan, Monday, December 5, Croatian goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic was celebrated as a hero by his teammates (3-1 victory on penalties on goal after the score was 1-1 after extra time). He first dived to his left to repel Takumi Minamino’s shot, then to the right against Kaoru Mitoma and to the right again in front of Maya Yoshida.

At 27, the one who plays for a club at Dinamo Zagreb and honored his 37^e selection against Japan undoubtedly experienced the most emotional moment of his career. “It was a very demanding match, we had to fight. At the most difficult moment, we managed to mobilize our forces and win”rejoiced at the end of the meeting the goalkeeper, who put studies in international relations on hold to devote himself to football.

His predecessor, of whom he was the understudy, Danijel Subasic, must have appreciated as a connoisseur. In 2018, in Russia, the former goalkeeper of AS Monaco then emerged victorious from two penalty shootouts.

Quicksands

“Mbappe? It’s the fastest thing I’ve ever seen. »

During his two and a half seasons in the top flight of the English championship, right-back Matthew Cash had the opportunity to see some of the greatest players in the world, some cars too. But he has never suffered as much as this Sunday, December 4, in the round of 16 of the World Cup.

Naturalized Polish in the fall of 2021, by his maternal ancestry, the player of the Aston Villa club had the mission, during France-Poland, to score Kylian Mbappé in his pants.

Conscientious, the player of the Bialo-Czerwoni (the “white and red”) spent the entire afternoon preceding the match watching a video montage, made for the occasion, of the actions of the tricolor world champion… We know the continuation: 3-1 victory for the Blues with a double from Kylian Mbappé. “I knew it would be a tough game, but when he gets the ball, stops and goes, it’s the fastest thing I’ve ever seen.”said Matthew Cash according to the Guardian.

qatar postal

Peeled in the minds

Ultimate football legend, Brazilian Pelé was hospitalized last week at the age of 82 for a lung infection caused by Covid-19. The state of health of the triple world champion (in 1958, 1962 and 1970) worries the football world.

On Monday, a portrait of Edson Arantes do Nascimento aka Pelé was displayed in a fan zone in Doha, Qatar. In black and white, the drawing honored the legend in his shirt of Santos FC, the Brazilian club where he spent almost his entire career. In the background, we found the yellow and green lines of the selection auriverde.

That same day, Pelé – or his entourage – sent on Twitter a message to the Seleçao, assuring that it “will look[t] the game “ between Brazil and South Korea from Sao Paulo hospital and ” support[t] each of you [ses joueurs] ». The Brazilian samba offered by Neymar, Richarlison and others at the 974 stadium had to fill it.

Grain of sand

7/8

90+ – 7 of the last 8 matches in the ?? CdM+EURO knockout stage have gone to extra time: 20… https://t.co/8iCsOitQvi

— OptaJean (@OptaJean)

When the moment of truth comes, the Vatreni like to prolong the pleasure. Sports statistics firm Opta reports that in their last eight matches in the knockout stage of major competition, the Croatian national team have gone into extra time seven times. The series had started during Euro 2008, during a quarter-final with an epic outcome, finally lost on penalties to Turkey. It continued on Monday during the round of 16 of the World Cup, this time won after the fateful event against Japan.

What is the only time Croatia have played a main draw game in a major competition without going to extra time in the past two decades? It was at the Luzhniki stadium in Moscow, during the final lost against France, on July 15, 2018. The previous one dates back to the summer… 1998, against the Blues, once again, and a certain Lilian Thuram.

A patch of blue sky

Relaxation day, barbecue and visit of an injured person

In Doha, the players of the French team tasted the joys of a day off after qualifying against Poland. No press conference therefore, even if we already know that the new record holder of the goals in selection, Olivier Giroud will be in front of the microphones and the cameras, Tuesday.

The opportunity to ask him, perhaps, how one occupies a day “off” during a World Cup, even if the very beautiful and large swimming pool of their five stars can be an option considered. The Team indicates that our French have organized a barbecue (but without inviting the Argentines to turn the meat) with a little music for the atmosphere. The daily also informs one of the many injured, Presnel Kimpembe was present on Sunday evening to celebrate the qualification as well as the families of the players, authorized to stay until Tuesday morning.