LYON: Moroccan soccer is having a moment.
Surprise semifinalists at the World Cup two years ago, the men’s team has emulated that achievement at the Paris Olympics.
Morocco routed the United States 4-0 in the quarterfinals and plays Spain on Monday for the chance to reach the final.
“I have one goal here, which is to win the medal,” Morocco captain Achraf Hakimi said, referring to gold.
A place in the final would be extra special for Hakimi, who plays his club soccer for Paris Saint-Germain, and would compete at his home stadium, Parc des Princes, if Morocco advances.
Then again, most Morocco matches have felt like home games for the team, given the fervent support it has enjoyed in France, which has a large Moroccan population. Moroccan fans packed Parc des Princes for the victory over the Americans.
It will be the same again for the semifinal in Marseille, France’s oldest city, which has deep North African connections.
“The fans follow us everywhere we go. Let’s hope it continues like this until the end of the tournament. We are here to make them feel proud of us,” Hakimi said.
That support has overstepped the mark at the Games when fans rushed the field and threw bottles in Morocco’s 2-1 win over Argentina in the group phase and caused the game to be suspended for around two hours.
Against the US, fans were warned by the stadium announcer not to light flares after several were set off following Morocco’s first goal.
Morocco’s supporters lit up the Qatar World Cup in 2022 in a different way — uniting many fans in the region as the first Arab and African team to advance to the semifinals — eventually taking fourth place.
It couldn’t follow that success at this year’s African Cup of Nations — being eliminated by South Africa in the round of 16 — but it did win the Under-23 version of the tournament to qualify for the Olympics and showcase its depth of talent.
At these games, the Moroccans have advanced to the semifinals for the first time and has the chance to medal. The win against Argentina started its tournament off with a bang.
“We are a proud, proud country. We love our country,” Morocco coach Tarik Sektioui said. “We all love to be Moroccan and, it’s (taken) a lot of work. We as coaches or players are determined to improve and (show) to everybody that Moroccan players can be world players and the Moroccan coach can be also a good, world, coach. It’s just a question of work and mentality.”
Morocco’s senior team shocked Spain by eliminating it from the last World Cup and its Olympic team is aiming to emulate that feat and secure a place in the final against France or Egypt.
Spain won gold at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics and has taken silver on three other occasions, including the last Games in Tokyo when it lost to Brazil in the final.
Spanish soccer is also enjoying a boom period after the men won the European Championship this summer and the women were crowned world champion last year.
Both the men’s and women’s teams are into the semifinals at the Olympics.
If Morocco wins, it could be down to the tournament’s leading scorer Soufiane Rahimi.
The 28-year-old striker was one of Sektioui’s overage picks. The Olympic men’s tournament is restricted to under 23s with the exception of three overage players.
Rahimi’s selection has certainly paid off, with the forward scoring five goals so far.
Rahimi plays his club soccer for Al Ain in United Arab Emirates and won the Asian Champions League last season when he was top scorer with 13 goals. Al Ain eliminated Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr in the quarterfinals.
Sektioui believes Rahimi has the ability to play in one of Europe’s top leagues.
“Last year he was one of the best strikers in Asia and won the Asian Cup (Champions League). That means everything,” the Morocco coach said. “He has everything... he’s explosive, he’s clever, he can score.”
France vs. Egypt
Also Monday, host nation France plays Egypt in Lyon and is looking to end a 40-year wait for Olympic gold in the men’s soccer.
France’s only gold came at Los Angeles 1984.
This is Egypt’s third time in the semifinals having has twice finished in fourth place — at Amsterdam 1928 and Tokyo 1964.
If Egypt and Morocco both win it would set up the first all-African final in Olympic men’s soccer.
Morocco making waves with polished play and fervent fans at Olympics, Spain awaits in soccer semis
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Morocco making waves with polished play and fervent fans at Olympics, Spain awaits in soccer semis
- Morocco routed the United States 4-0 in the quarterfinals
South Korea down Jordan to remain unbeaten in World Cup qualifying
- Goals from Lee Jae-sung and Oh Hyeong-gu gave underfire coach Hong Myung-bo his second win in a row
HONG KONG: South Korea beat Jordan 2-0 in Amman on Thursday to move top of Group B in the third round of Asia’s World Cup preliminaries as Australia won their first match under new coach Tony Popovic.
Goals from Lee Jae-sung and Oh Hyeong-gu gave underfire coach Hong Myung-bo his second win in a row and lifted the Koreans on to seven points from three matches.
Hong had been booed after Korea’s opening 0-0 draw with Palestine in Seoul but back-to-back wins mean the Taeguk Warriors are in a strong position to continue their record of qualifying for every World Cup since 1986.
Australia revive World Cup hopes with 3-1 win over China
- The Socceroos had picked up just one point from their opening two Group C games in September
- Popovic was hired last month after the resignation of Graham Arnold as head coach
ADELAIDE: Australia got their 2026 World Cup qualification campaign back on track by beating China 3-1 on Thursday in coach Tony Popovic’s first game in charge.
The Socceroos had picked up just one point from their opening two Group C games in September, and they feared the worst after 19 minutes at the Adelaide Oval.
Xie Wenneng ran onto a Zhang Yuning header to shoot powerfully into the net and silence the majority of the 46,000 crowd.
Australia, going for a sixth straight World Cup appearance, struggled to turn possession into clear chances but just before the break, Lewis Miller headed Craig Goodwin’s free kick into the net for his first international goal.
Goodwin fired home a spectacular second from outside the area eight minutes after the restart to put Australia ahead 2-1. Nishan Velupillay added a third in stoppage time in his debut international appearance to seal the win and condemn China to a third loss in three games.
Popovic was hired last month after the resignation of Graham Arnold as head coach.
Australia are second in the group above Saudi Arabia, which takes on leader Japan later Thursday in Jeddah.
The top two from each of the three six-team groups qualify directly for the World Cup while the third- and fourth-place finishers advance to a fourth stage of qualification to compete for Asia’s two remaining automatic berths.
Juventus readmitted to ECA after failed Super League revolt
- Juve abandoned the ECA in order to push for the so-called European Super League
- “I am pleased to welcome Juventus back to our family. Now, all top division clubs in over 20 countries are ECA members,” Al-Khelaifi said during the ECA’s General Assembly
ROME: Juventus have been readmitted to the European Club Association (ECA) after the Serie A club’s failed bid to create a continental Super League, the organization’s chief Nasser Al-Khelaifi said on Thursday.
Italy’s most successful club, Juve abandoned the ECA in order to push for the so-called European Super League, which was launched in April 2021 but quickly collapsed after fan anger and threats from governing bodies UEFA and FIFA.
“I am pleased to welcome Juventus back to our family. Now, all top division clubs in over 20 countries are ECA members,” Al-Khelaifi, who is also president of Paris Saint-Germain, said during the ECA’s General Assembly in Athens.
Juve, then chaired by Super League crusader Andrea Agnelli, intended to be one of 12 founder clubs alongside the likes of Real Madrid, Barcelona and a clutch of teams from England’s Premier League.
Since the original Super League project failed, Agnelli has been hit with two lengthy bans from Italian football after the country’s football federation found him and Juventus guilty of a series of financial offenses.
The project is still technically alive and being pushed by A22 Sports Management, who are promoting a redesigned version of the breakaway continental competition with 64 teams playing in three divisions.
In December last year the European Union’s Court of Justice ruled that a ban of the Super League enforced by the sport’s existing governing bodies was against EU law.
Triple centurion Brook happy to break Dad’s club record
- 25-year-old smashed a career best 317 that, coupled with Joe Root’s 262, helped visitors pile 823-7
- With a big 267-run lead over Pakistan in first innings, England then caught the home team napping at 152-6
MULTAN, Pakistan: England’s rising batting star Harry Brook said he was delighted he had finally eclipsed his father’s highest club score, when he hit a triple hundred against Pakistan in Multan on Thursday.
The 25-year-old smashed a career best 317 that, coupled with Joe Root’s 262, helped visitors pile 823-7 declared — fourth highest total in all Test cricket — England’s third best.
With a big 267-run lead over Pakistan in the first innings, England then caught the home team napping at 152-6. At close, Pakistan still needed 115 to avoid an innings defeat on the final day Friday.
Brook said his father’s highest score was the target.
“I just wanted to get past my dad’s high score 210,” said Brook of his father David’s score in a club match for Burnley in 2001.
Brook had missed a chance of surpassing dad’s best when he scored 186 against New Zealand at Wellington last year.
“I said that to you guys before, I was pretty happy when I got past his score, to be honest.”
Brook said he was satisfied to contribute in team’s strong position.
“I am lost for words, to be honest, I’m just happy that the team’s in a in a strong position to win the game tomorrow morning. It’s an incredible thing.”
Brook and Root enjoyed a run feast on a flat Multan stadium pitch, adding a big 454 for the fourth wicket, England’s highest partnership in Tests.
It eclipsed the 411-run fourth-wicket partnership by Peter May and Colin Cowdrey against the West Indies at Birmingham in 1957.
“It was wonderful batting with Rooty,” said Brook. “We spoke about the game moving forward and going out there after lunch to try and put the foot down and get a decent lead.”
“It makes you feel so comfortable when you’re watching him at the other end, he makes the game look so easy, and he’s playing the ball so late and making the balls look slow.”
Brook completed his triple century with a boundary off part-timer Saim Ayub, reaching the mark off 310 balls before he top-edged a sweep off the same bowler and was caught by Shan Masood.
Brook cracked 29 fours and three sixes in his 439-minute stay at the crease.
It was Brook’s sixth Test century and his fourth against Pakistan following his three in as many Tests when England routed Pakistan 3-0 in 2022.
Saudi Logistics Services partners with Jeddah GT Race 2024
- SAL Jeddah GT Race 2024 will take place at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit on Nov. 29 and 30
- SMC’s acting CEO, Mansour Almokbel said: ‘This partnership represents a significant step toward fulfilling our common goals’
JEDDAH: Saudi Motorsport Co. and Saudi Logistics Services have signed a partnership agreement, making SAL the title partner of the inaugural 2024 Jeddah GT Race, it was announced on Thursday.
According to the partnership, SAL will become the main partner for the race that will be renamed SAL Jeddah GT Race 2024 scheduled to take place at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit on Nov. 29 and 30.
The six-hour race will be the longest circuit motor race to be staged in Saudi Arabia.
The agreement reaffirms SAL’s commitment to social responsibility and its dedication to supporting the community and the national economy through various initiatives, programs, and collaborations with different entities, such as the SAL Jeddah GT Race 2024.
SMC’s acting CEO, Mansour Almokbel said: “This partnership represents a significant step toward fulfilling our common goals, contributing to achieving the objectives of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 and improving the quality of life in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.”
Thunyan Al-Thunyan, president of logistics solutions at SAL, said: “We are thrilled to partner with Jeddah GT Race 2024 as the title sponsor, in which we collaborate to reflect SAL’s ongoing commitment toward supporting Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, while also showcasing our dedication to excellence and innovation in logistics, by contributing to the success of the motorsports races and other international mega events happening in Saudi Arabia.”
The collaboration will contribute to the advancement of motorsports in Saudi Arabia and further strengthen SAL’s strategic partnership with SMC, which plays a pivotal role in the comprehensive development of motorsports in the region.
The SAL Jeddah GT Race 2024 will feature two major global races the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe Powered by AWS, and the exciting GT4 European Series Powered by RAFA Racing Club, which will also include the longest racing event in Saudi Arabia’s history.
