…African presence at the Mundial lost with Moroccan Defeat.
DASH BOARD GLANCE OF QUARTERFINAL.
1ST QF. SPAIN VS NETHERLANDS AT WELLINGTON STADIUM ON FRIDAY 11TH AUGUST AT 0200 HOURS.
2ND QF. JAPAN VS SWEDEN AT AUCKLAND ON 11TH AUGUST AT 0830 HOURS.
3RD QF. AUS VS FRA AT BRISBANE ON 12TH AUGUST AT 0800 HOURS.
4TH QF. ENG VS COL/JAM AT SYDNEY ON 12TH AUGUST AT 1130 HOURS.
France woke from a slush that Panama aroused to start banging in the goals hitting the Atlas Lionesses of Morocco 4-0 as all African presence at the Mundial was wiped off at the Hindmarsh Stadium under the Ref from USA, Tori Penso.
Fleet footed Olympique Lyon player, Kadidiatou Diani who wrecked Panama with a hat-trick bounced back to ‘pepper’ Morocco. Unmarked Diani got a a signal from a good combination from Bacha and Karchaoui at the edge of the six yard box and headed home the curtain raiser from close range.
She it was who laid a thorough pass to Aston Villa Midfielder, Kenza Dali which came back as a rebound when she shot at goal and not making room for error, she hit a volley into the net for second goal to France in the 20th minute.
Same Diani was the architect of the 3rd goal as a stray ball hit her shin to the path of Lyon Forward, Eugenie Le Sommer. Sommer had scored against Brazil. Sommer completed her brace with her second goal and 4th for France against Morocco in the 70th minute.
France now meets co-hosts Australia at Brisbane on Saturday at 0800 hours Nigerian time at the 3rd quarterfinals.
Former champions, France played a goalless draw with Jamaica 23rd July; defeated Brazil 2-1 on the 29th of July and thrashed Panama 6-3 on 2nd August.
Morocco was messed up with a 6-0 bashing at their opening match on 24th July; defeated Korea 1-0 on 30th July and also defeated Columbia by the same margin 1-0 on 3rdAugust.
France and Morocco met twice played 2-2 on 16th November 2017 and on 14th December 2022 France trounced Morocco 2-0.
Morocco is the second African nation to reach the round of 16 at her debut at the world cup after Cameroon in 2015 who lost to China at that stage.
France is in her fourth knockout stage in all appearances since 2011. She progressed once from that stage in her previous appearances at the knockout stage.
The first of the quarterfinals of the tournament will be played in the wee hours of Friday, West African Time of 0200 hours at Wellington Regional Stadium between Spain and Netherlands. Italian Ref Davide Massa will be in charge.
The second quarterfinals will be played at Eden Park same Friday at 0830 hours and it will be Japan versus Sweden.
Eniola Olatunji reporting for Patmos Media Line.
#2023FIFAWOMEN’SCUP.
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