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What a night for all of Morocco!
The Atlas Lionesses have turned a special page in their history books as they qualified for the FIFA Women’s World Cup for the first time after a pulsating night at a packed Moulay Abdellah Sports Complex.
A tense 2-1 win against Botswana secured their ticket to next year’s Coupe Du Monde in Australia and New Zealand on a night the Moroccan players will never forget.
CAFOnline followed every step of the home team’s walk into football nirvana. From the moment the Moroccans arrived at the stadium at exactly 19h15, headphones on and looking straight ahead, you could immediately see their razor sharp focus on the job at hand of World Cup qualification.
When coach Reynald Pedros stopped in front of the microphone of CAF TV for his pre-match interview he said “the main goal right now is this match… if we qualify we are in the World Cup. I hope that the fans will be there in droves to support us”.
He need not have worried about getting the backing of the home team, they arrived in numbers to fill the 52 000 capacity stadium to the brim to create an incredible atmosphere.
As Botswana made their way into the stadium and into the tunnel the visitors in Setswana evoked God in song in the most beautiful way.
“Please God, we are here to fight, not to hate anyone. Please God help us,” the Mares sang.
When the Moroccan players enter the pitch at 20h10 for their warm ups just under an hour to kickoff, the noise is unbelievable as the chants of ‘Maghrib Maghrib’ (‘Morocco Morocco’) ring out in the stands.
As the stadium announcer reads out the line ups loud chants of ‘Ole’ greet every Moroccan name.
As the national anthem ceremony plays out, the Botswana one is sung first and the roof comes down from the home crowd as they passionately belt out the Moroccan anthem with their players.
As the photographers capture the starting line up for eternity, they take quick bursts of photos that will forever tell the tale of Moroccan football history.
Togolese referee Vencentia Enyonam Amedome gets the game underway at 21h00 sharp.
In just the second minute the home fans cheer deliriously as the home team takes a very early lead, as Fatima Tagnaout’s pin point free kick is helped on by Sanaa Mssoudy, who opens the scoring with the deftest of touches to the delight of the fans in the stands.
‘Eho mabrouk alina hadi lbidaya mazal mazal’ sing the home fans, translated as ‘Congratulations to us, this is just the beginning, we want more’.
But just five minutes later Botswana stun the home crowd into silence, the Mares equalize as Keitumetso Dithebe scores a stunning goal of the tournament contender with a long range free kick from over 30 metres out that sails over Morocco goalkeeper Khadija Errmichi and into the net.
The home crowd are stunned, but quickly recover to find their voice and to push on their team. In the 18th minute, the fans chant “li mabouja machi maghribi” translated as “he who does not move is not Moroccan”.
As has become custom in every match; the flash of tens of thousands of phones in unison illuminates the stands of the Moulay Abdellah Sports Complex as each Moroccan pass and tackle is cheered on.
In the 35th minute we see the Moroccan “lmouja” or the equivalent of the famous Mexican wave around the stands.
Despite their best efforts Morocco enter the break with the score still deadlocked.
Moroccan coach Pedros reacts to every lost ball, raising his arms and turning animatedly to his bench. The more time passes, the more the supporters become impatient, but still they raise their voces.
Following another accurate Tagnaout set piece, Yasmin Mrabet sends the Moroccan fans into ecstasy in the 59thminute as she again gives the home team the lead just before the hour mark.
The jubilation is felt on the stands and on the pitch as the Moroccan women celebrate the goal near the corner flag.
Morocco are clearly the stronger team and enjoy ball possession of over 60%, but despite their dominance Pedros remains on his feet and on his guard as he cajoles his team into action.
As the game peters out, the final whistle – the sound of FIFA World Cup qualification – leads to absolute bedlam in the stands and on the pitch as the Moroccans burst out into tears of joy as they touch history.
The Botswanans are naturally dejected, but despite the defeat and disappointment they remain gracious opponents, congratulating the Moroccans and applauding the fans before exiting the pitch.
The Atlas Lionesses celebrate their qualification on the pitch to the delight of the supporters and to the great pride of the President of the Royal Morocco Football Federation, Fouzi Lekjaa, who comes down to the pitch to warmly congratulate the team.
Ghizlane Chebbak, voted as the best player of the group stage, is designated ‘Woman of the Match’.
At her press conference Chebbak says she is “very happy and proud of this qualification. This is just the beginning. Our goal is to always make the Moroccan people happy. The qualification is in the pocket now we have to go get the Cup. We are now the first (Moroccan women’s team to qualify for the World Cup) and I am sure that this is only the beginning of the development of Moroccan women’s football”.
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Chebbak’s press conference is interrupted at first by the return to the room of coach Pedros, who is applauded by the journalists, before some of Chebbak’s Lionesses burst in gleefully to celebrate the qualification with the captain to the delight of the media.
They sing ‘wa chebka wa ya Ghizlane’ (asking Ghizlane to always score) as the Moroccan players hug each other and show their unbridled joy.
Pedros hails his “fantastic” team but insists their focus remains on the rest of the tournament, where either Cameroon and Nigeria await in the semi final.
In the mixed zone the Moroccan women are with their heads joyfully in the clouds.
While some stop to describe their joy in front of the microphones, others go into a group dancing and getting excited to the music of Manel Benchlikha (Moroccan artist), Slay and Gala blaring out ‘Freed from desire’. It is the defender Nesryne El Chad, who is clearly the leader and DJ of the band.
They leave the stadium and head for the team bus…greeting their proud and overjoyed supporters.
A page has turned for the Moroccan women, the dream of World Cup qualification.
But in this incredible tournament on proud home soil, they are not done dreaming yet.
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