Nouhaila Benzina Makes History as Morocco Secures Unforgettable Victory over South Korea in World Cup Clash
Nouhaila Benzina makes history as the first player to wear a hijab in a senior-level global tournament, as Morocco secures a 1-0 victory against South Korea What's next for the groundbreaking athlete? Find out in the Women's World Cup schedule
Making history, Nouhaila Benzina became the first player to compete at a senior-level global tournament wearing a hijab. This momentous occasion took place as Morocco secured a 1-0 victory over South Korea in Adelaide. The ban on religious head coverings in FIFA-sanctioned games was successfully reversed in 2014, thanks to the efforts of activists, athletes, government officials, and soccer authorities. These collective advocates cleared the path for Benzina to display her talent while upholding her religious beliefs.
Morocco secured their first-ever victory at the Women's World Cup, sealing South Korea's early exit from the tournament. Despite being ranked 55 positions below South Korea, the African team took an early lead with striker Ibtissam Jraidi's header, marking their debut World Cup goal.
Eun-Sun Park came close to equalizing with a diving header, but unfortunately, her attempt narrowly missed the goalpost. Although Morocco's goalkeeper, Khadija Er-Rmichi, conceded six goals against Germany in their previous match, she had a relatively easy game against South Korea. The South Korean team struggled to create scoring opportunities and failed to register a single shot on target.
Benzina played a pivotal role, making important contributions, and came close to scoring from a set-piece with a powerful volley that went over the crossbar.
In the game's final moments, South Korea's Casey Phair came close to equalizing. However, the 16-year-old, who made history as the youngest player to participate in the Women's World Cup during their initial loss to Colombia, missed the target and left her team at the bottom of the group.
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The Morocco players jubilate as the final whistle blows in Adelaide.
Expressing disbelief, Collin Bell, the manager of South Korea, stated, "Honestly, I can't believe it. Our worst two performances during my tenure were saved for the World Cup. I couldn't even recognize my own team."
We were inadequate in both games and we need to thoroughly analyze why. I won't allow my emotions to cloud my judgment, but it's evident that we're all deeply disappointed. The players possess greater abilities than what they've demonstrated in both matches, and it's truly difficult to fathom the level of our performance.
With three points, Morocco now stands on par with Germany and Colombia in Group H, with both teams set to face each other later on Sunday. South Korea, on the other hand, has yet to earn any points and will face elimination if Germany manages to avoid defeat in Sydney.
What's next?
Morocco's upcoming match in Group H is against Colombia in Perth on Thursday at 11am, with their qualification for the knockout stages hanging in the balance.At the same time on Thursday, South Korea will have their final tournament match as they face Germany in Brisbane.
What is the Women's World Cup schedule?
The group stage has started and will continue for two weeks until August 3. The teams that finish as the winners and runners-up in their groups will advance to the round of 16, which is scheduled from August 5 to August 8.The quarter-finals, which are set to take place in Wellington, Auckland, Brisbane, and Sydney, are planned for August 11 and 12.
The first semi-final is scheduled for August 15 in Auckland, followed by the second semi-final on August 16 at the Accor Stadium in Sydney. The final will be held on August 20 at the same venue. A third-place play-off is set to take place on August 19 in Brisbane, a day prior to the final.
