When Morocco takes to the pitch Wednesday night against France in the World Cup semifinals, they'll do so as 6/1 outsiders against the defending world champions. But one advantage the record-setting African side will have is nearly the entire backing of the 68,895 capacity Al-Bayt Stadium.
If you’re a casual soccer fan who tunes in for the World Cup and the occasional game, you probably noticed an odd tactic. “Why does a player lie down behind the wall in soccer?” you may have asked yourself.
The tactic of having a player laying down behind the wall is simple. Having a player lay down behind the wall denies the free kick taker any chance at shooting the ball underneath the wall when the players jump.
DOHA - Croatia and Morocco are the surprise guests in the World Cup's final four but, as the Croatians discovered in 2018 and many other long-shot semifinalists have before them, the two remaining steps to become world champions can be the steepest.
In the 21 editions of the World Cup over 92 years featuring 79 nations, there have still been only eight winners and only 13 have made it to the final. Spain were the last to join the elite group of champions in 2010 after France in 1998 and Argentina in 1978.
After a controversial and emotionally charged quarterfinal round (who could've predicted that?), the 2022 FIFA World Cup semifinal referees have been announced before Tuesday and Wednesday's matches of Argentina vs. Croatia and France vs. Morocco, respectively.
On Tuesday, the Argentina vs Croatia ref is Italian Daniele Orsato. You know he's legit because he took charge of Qatar's opener and Ecuador won it 2-0. He was also in charge of Argentina's victory over Mexico.
The rumored tension between USMNT manager Gregg Berhalter and precocious talent Giovanni Reyna was confirmed with the final call, as the old horror movie cliché goes, coming from inside the house: Berhalter provided all the saucy details and headline leading quotes during a *checks notes* HOW Institute for Society's Summit on Moral Leadership.
DOHA - Croatia will not attempt to stop Argentina superstar Lionel Messi by man-marking him but instead will focus on immobilizing the entire team in their World Cup semifinal on Tuesday, they said.
Croatia are bidding to make it to the final for the second World Cup in a row after losing in the 2018 showcase match to France.
They stunned tournament favorites Brazil in the quarterfinals after going a goal down in extra-time but dug deep to bounce back with a late equalizer and force a penalty shootout that they ended up winning.
Con el dolor aún en las venas, Cristiano Ronaldo dejó el refugio del silencio y habló por primera vez desde la eliminación que sufrió Portugal a manos de Marruecos, en los cuartos de final del Mundial de Catar 2022.
El Bicho está triste y en un mensaje en Instagram vació todo lo que siente en el alma, dejando además un críptico mensaje sobre su futuro en la selección lusa.
DOHA - Morocco’s unexpected march to the World Cup semifinals can be attributed partly to a policy of deliberately seeking out talent in the Diaspora to strengthen the national team and give them a better chance of success.
14 of Morocco’s 26-man squad were born outside the country, more than any other team at the tournament in Qatar, providing an eclectic mix of players from growing migrant communities across Europe who have helped them break new ground.
The 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar has entered the knockout phase, and one of the top honors players will be competing for is the Golden Boot, awarded to the player with the most goals in the tournament.
The number of assists by a player is considered in the case of a tie for goals scored. If players are tied on both counts, the winner is decided by who played the fewest minutes.