Morocco bounced back from their disappointing debut defeat to Germany with a hard-fought 1-0 win over South Korea at the Hindmarsh Stadium on Sunday.
Ibtissam Jraidi, who came on as a substitute in their first game, scored the Atlas Lionesses first-ever Women’s World Cup goal with a deft header in the 6th minute, propelling them to their first-ever win at the Mundial.
The 30-year-old forward headed home full-back Hanane Ait El Haj’s cross as the North Africans held on for a famous historic victory despite a barrage of missed chances from both sides.
#ICYMI Morocco ???????? won their first-ever match at the #FIFAWWC, courtesy of Ibtissam Jraidi's only goal in their 1-0 victory against South Korea ????????
The Atlas Lionesses are third in Group H.#Afrosport #Morocco #AtlasLionesses #FIFAWomensWorldCup2023 #BeyondGreatness pic.twitter.com/OcqOPsdO8S
— AfroSport (@AfroSportTV) July 30, 2023
Reynald Pedros, Morocco’s head coach, was delighted with the victory, praising his side’s efficiency and will to bounce back from a disappointing opening day.
He said: “There’s a sense of pride for us to pull this first World Cup win out of the bag.”
“We didn’t change our philosophy. The Korean team is not like the German team and we got off to a blinding start.
“We were efficient in the box, that was missing against Germany.”
The defeat meant Korea, who also lost their first match to Colombia, are now eliminated from the competition with a game to spare.
Morocco also became the first Arab nation to win a match at the Women’s World Cup, and they currently sit third in group H. They will face Colombia next on Thursday, August 3, for a place in the round of 16.
