Morocco바카라s improbable, history-making run at the World Cup is about to get its ultimate test. Africa바카라s first World Cup semifinalist is playing defending champion France and striker Kylian MbappĂ©, the leader of a new wave of soccer superstars coming out of an era dominated by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. (More Football News)
Wednesday바카라s match has cultural and political connotations 바카라 Morocco was under French rule from 1912-56 바카라 and the outcome is far from the foregone conclusion many would presume by looking at the names of the players and the rankings of the teams.
Morocco has exceeded all expectations in Qatar by beating second-ranked Belgium in the group stage and then eliminating European powerhouses Spain and Portugal in the knockout phase to reach the semifinals.
No African or Arab nation has ever gotten this far. It is one of the biggest stories in the World Cup바카라s 92-year history and Morocco is not done yet.
바카라I was asked if we can win the World Cup and I said, 바카라Why not? We can dream, it doesn바카라t cost you anything to have dreams,바카라바카라 said Walid Regragui, Morocco바카라s French-born coach. 바카라European countries are used to winning the World Cup and we have played top sides, we have not had an easy run. Anyone playing us is going to be afraid of us now.바카라
Even France?
The defending champions have just passed their own big test by coming through a tough quarterfinal match against England, on a rare occasion when MbappĂ© was kept quiet.  Â
No player has scored more than his five goals in Qatar and it won바카라t be easy for MbappĂ© to add to that tally against Morocco, which has yet to concede a goal to an opposition player at this World Cup 바카라 or indeed in its nine games since Regragui was hired in August. The only goal allowed was an own-goal by defender Nayef Aguerd against Canada in the group stage.
Morocco might have some injuries now 바카라 Aguerd and fellow center back Romain Saiss could be missing Wednesday 바카라 but Regragui바카라s game plan relies on team shape and discipline more than any specific individual.
바카라We recovered well. We have good doctors and every day we get good news. No one is ruled out and no one is for certain,바카라 Regragui said Tuesday. 바카라We바카라ll use the best team possible.바카라
The Morocco coach said his team is ready to 바카라change the mentality바카라 of Africa, and he바카라s told his players not to settle for anything less than the top prize.
바카라We바카라re going to fight to move on, for the African nations, for the Arab world,바카라 he said.
Regragui said defender Achraf Hakimi is looking forward to a 바카라nice duel바카라 with MbappĂ©, his teammate at Paris Saint-Germain, but added that France doesn바카라t just depend on its star player.
바카라We바카라ll have to block Kylian, but not just him,바카라 Regragui said. 바카라Hakimi is super motivated to beat his friend.바카라
The key to winning the game, the coach said, will be Morocco바카라s 바카라team spirit바카라 and the support of the crowd at Al Bayt Stadium, where French President Emmanuel Macron is set to be in attendance along with tens of thousands of green-and-red-clad Morocco fans. It will feel like a home game for Morocco바카라s players, which might level things up even more.
바카라We have the best fans in the world along with Argentines and Brazilians. They바카라re people who come from anywhere in the world to support their country,바카라 Regragui said. 바카라We바카라re going to play like being at home and that바카라s the most important thing in the world.바카라
France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris said the team expects 바카라a hostile environment in the stadium.바카라
바카라It바카라s going to make a lot of noise, a raucous atmosphere. It바카라s going to be a tough time to concentrate in that sense, but during the match and at halftime, we바카라re going to have to remain focused,바카라 Lloris said.
France coach Didier Deschamps said his team is ready for the 바카라loud support바카라 that Morocco will get from its fans, but added his players have prepared for the atmosphere and know what to expect.
바카라Yes, it바카라s true, (Morocco) have been very strong in defense. And none of their opponents has managed to find a solution. But they바카라re not just good in defense. They wouldn바카라t have reached the semifinals if they were just a defensive team,바카라 Deschamps said. 바카라They바카라ve shown other qualities.바카라
France starts as the big favorite, though, because of its star quality and experience. In MbappĂ© and Antoine Griezmann, a forward who has reinvented himself as a midfield playmaker at the World Cup, the team has two of the World Cup바카라s leading players while Olivier Giroud바카라s winner against England took him to four goals 바카라 the same as Messi.
They have attacking threats from everywhere and that intangible quality of just knowing how to get the job done. France center back Raphael Varane said there will be no danger of complacency among his teammates in a game against the world바카라s 22nd-ranked team.
바카라We have enough experience in the team to not fall into that trap,바카라 Varane said. 바카라We know Morocco isn바카라t here by chance. It is up to us, as experienced players, to make sure we are all prepared for another battle.바카라
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