Morocco goalkeeper Khadija Er-Rmichi celebrates her team's victory and qualification for the last 16, along with Colombia. Photograph: Colin Murty/AFP/Getty Images

Morocco beat Colombia as both teams advance to 2023 World Cup Round of 16

Graphic.com.gh Sports News Aug - 03 - 2023 , 17:07 2 minutes read

An historic Morocco side secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Colombia that sent both sides into the last 16 of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup as the top two sides in Group H.

Anissa Lahmari reacted fastest to Ghizlane Chebbak’s saved penalty on the stroke of half time to give the tournament debutants all three points and set up a meeting with France in the next round. Colombia now face Jamaica.

Morocco came out all guns blazing, to pile considerable pressure on Group H leaders, Colombia. To stay in the tournament, they needed to better the result of Germany, who played their final match against South Korea.

As the Germans could only manage a 1-1 draw, the win for the north Africans saw them progress from the group stage in their very first World Cup tournament.

Having benefited from considerable investment in the sport in recent years, their desire to progress was obvious.

Despite this, Colombia were unlucky not to get on the scoresheet. Technically the better side, they couldn’t match Morocco’s pace in the first half.

Morocco played a pacy, attacking game in the first half, but failed to capitalise on chances, and at times the frustration showed, notably in Fatima Tagnaout who was a strong presence on the left wing.

Colombia also had opportunities with Linda Caicedo looking particularly threatening on the right wing, but despite some nerve wrecking moments for Khadija Er-Rmichi in goal, she was well supported by Nouhaila Benzina.

The breakthrough eventually came for Morocco in stoppage time after Ghizlane Chebbak’s penalty was saved by the keeper, but Anissa Lahmari caught it in the box to find the net and give Morocco the advantage.

Tensions rose in the second half and a flurry of fouls followed for a frustrated Colombian side. Caicedo led the attack joined by Mayra Ramirez who also heaped on the pressure, but couldn’t get past Er-Rmichi.

Though Morocco looked to tire in the second half and couldn’t replicate their pace in the first half, they held on for the win, and will face France in the round-of -16.