South Korea 0-1 Morocco: Women’s World Cup 2023 Group H - as it happened

July 30, 2023
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13m ago 02.30 EDT And to continue with the theme of firsts, the player of the match was arguably Moroccan central defender Nouhaila Benzina, the first player to appear in a World Cup wearing hijab. Nouhaila Benzina excelled in defence for Morocco against Korea. Photograph: Matt Turner/EPA

Updated at 02.37 EDT

15m ago 02.28 EDT Disaster for South Korea. They were toothless all afternoon and without a goal in two matches are now effectively out of the 2023 World Cup.

16m ago 02.28 EDT In Morocco’s second ever World Cup match they scored their first World Cup goal, and earned their first World Cup win. They are very much alive heading to a final round showdown with Colombia.

18m ago 02.26 EDT Full-time: South Korea 0-1 Morocco Morocco hold on! What a result in Group H. Morocco players celebrate their victory over Korea. Photograph: James Elsby/AP

Updated at 02.36 EDT

18m ago 02.26 EDT 90+6 mins: Morocco are cool coming out of defence – too cool – and Korea force the turnover with a desperate lunge. Can they find the killer pass? No. Yu-Ri Choe slices the ball out of play. Surely that’s it.

19m ago 02.24 EDT 90+5 mins: Chebbak does well to carry the ball into the left corner. She whips over a cross that Bouftini spins and flicks behind at the near post.

20m ago 02.24 EDT 90+4 mins: Even this late in the piece, Morocco continue to offer more threat on their rare counters than Korea can muster despite dominating possession.

21m ago 02.22 EDT 90+3 mins: There’s bodies on the ground in the box as the ball gets delivered – Korea want a penalty – but the Brazilian referee adjudges the first foul was against a Moroccan.

22m ago 02.22 EDT 90+2 mins: Morocco go from attacking on the right to Redouani conceding a cheap corner tracking back.

23m ago 02.21 EDT 90+1 mins: Sel-Gi Jang should do better from the left edge of the box on the burst, failing to pick a target inside her or get a shot away. So frustrating for Colin Bell and Korea’s supporters.

24m ago 02.20 EDT 90 mins: Six minutes of added time for Morocco to hold out.

24m ago 02.19 EDT 89 mins: Korea are desperate now, but Ga-Ram Chun shooting miles over from distance is not the solution.

25m ago 02.19 EDT 88 mins: Morocco break quickly and Rosella Ayane is put through with only the keeper to beat, but she runs out of steam and tamely scuffs a shot wide! End to end in Adelaide!

26m ago 02.18 EDT 87 mins: Was that the chance!? Casey Phair almost does produce the miracle! The long ball into the box is controlled by So-Yun Ji who finds a teammate on her outside. The pull-back the penalty spot finds Phair, who does well to clear her feet, but drags her shot wide. The best chance of the night for Korea.

29m ago 02.15 EDT 84 mins: Yu-Ri Choe carries the ball dangerously through the middle, but there is nobody ahead of her and she’s eventually crowded out. Morocco counter with purpose and enjoy sending the ball into the right corner for some respite.

30m ago 02.14 EDT 83 mins: Teenager Casey Phair is on for a late cameo. She’ll need to perform a miracle if Korea are to remain alive in this World Cup.

32m ago 02.11 EDT 81 mins: Benzina goes in the book for a clear professional foul. Korea, for the first time all night, threatened to get in behind on the counterattack with numbers after the Moroccan defence got caught ball-watching. However, the runner set off far too early, forcing the ball carrier to retain possession, and have her heels clipped 25m out.

34m ago 02.10 EDT 80 mins: Reinforcements for that final rearguard action come on with Nakkach and Tagnaout replaced by Najat Badri and Sofia Bouftini.

35m ago 02.09 EDT 79 mins: Benzina hits the deck after Mi-Ra Moon steps on her right boot executing a clearance. That buys Morocco some precious time to settle things down and steel themselves for the final 10 minutes.

37m ago 02.07 EDT 77 mins: Korea continue to probe, upping the intensity, and playing more combination football in the absence of Park, passing their way to the edge of the box and forcing a corner. Hye-Ri Kim floats it over to the top of the box, So-Hyun Cho heads it down, but Morocco are first to the loose ball.

39m ago 02.05 EDT 75 mins: Time running out for Korea, who draw an excellent diving punch out of Khadija Er-Rmichi to force away a Yu-Ri Choe cross from the right with players free in the box.

Updated at 02.07 EDT

40m ago 02.03 EDT 73 mins: Jraidi does well initially to hold the ball up for Morocco and fashion a shooting chance, but she takes too long and gets robbed, allowing Korea to attack at pace on the transition – until Hye-Ji Hong is professionally fouled in midfield. That’s the last action Jraidi has for the day. Her historic goal is what separates the two sides but she looks exhausted as Rosella Ayane comes on in her place.

43m ago 02.01 EDT 72 mins: Both substitutes are into the action early with Eun-Ha Jeoun doing well to spin out of traffic and feed the ball into feet between the lines. Kassi is alert to the danger and does well to hook a leg in and execute the tackle without conceding a free-kick.

44m ago 01.59 EDT 70 mins: 19-year-old Sarah Kassi is coming on for Morocco to provide some fresh legs. The tiring Salma Amani makes way. And a surprise substitution for Korea with Park – hitherto the focal point of Korea’s approach – replaced by Eun-Ha Jeoun.

46m ago 01.58 EDT 68 mins: Korea continue to probe, but it’s all in innocuous areas. As soon as the ball is delivered into the box there are enough white shirts on hand to make the clearance.

49m ago 01.55 EDT 66 mins: Hye-Ri Kim is again on set-piece duty, this time from outside the box on the right hand side. She curls over a dangerous cross but Hanane Ait El Haj times her head to perfection near the penalty spot.

50m ago 01.54 EDT 65 mins: So fixated on defence are Morocco, they are punch-drunk heading forward. Can Korea find the inspiration to fashion a clear goalscoring opportunity?

51m ago 01.53 EDT 63 mins: Korea are rising to the task in midfield. They win a couple of physical challenges that were going Morocco’s way in the first half, and it earns them another corner. Hye-Ji Hong flicks on the delivery at the near post, but there’s nobody at the far post to force it home.

53m ago 01.51 EDT 62 mins: Morocco are failing to retain possession downfield, allowing Korea to camp themselves in attacking territory. Might be time for a change for the Atlas Lionesses with a couple of players starting to look off the pace.

54m ago 01.50 EDT 60 mins: Hye-Ri Kim floats over a another set-piece, but it’s a little firmer this time and despite So-Hyun Cho coming in at pace at the far post she can only glance her effort wide.

Source: The Guardian