DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ How Morocco's surprise World Cup run rallied a legion of Arab fans
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-09 | by ( Elizabeth Kuhr | Elizabeth Kuhr Is An Nbc News Producer Based In London. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

DOHA, Qatar — When Morocco takes the field Saturday for the World Cup’s quarter final, the team will have not just an entire nation behind them, but a legion of fans throughout the Arab world. Moroccan players celebrate after wiing a penalty shootout against Spain at the Education City Stadium in Al-Rayyan, Qatar on Tuesday. They were energized by Morocco’s huge upset, erupting into cheers when young defender Achraf Hakimi impudently converted the decisive penalty. The fans were very noisy and super happy,” Mohammed Al-dubaisi, a Moroccan fan, told NBC News from the Fan Zone that night. The excitement for Morocco’s progression in the tournament was felt around the world.

☆ How Morocco Built a World Cup Cinderella in Four Months
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-09 | by ( Andrew Beaton | Jonathan Clegg | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Morocco’s national soccer team spent the better part of 20 years doing its best to act like a European powerhouse. It borrowed Spanish coaching techniques, built a state-of-the-art soccer academy modeled on France’s Clairefontaine and imported its managers from across the Mediterranean. Over the past two decades, Morocco has been run by a Portuguese coach, a Belgian, three Frenchmen and a Bosnian.

☆ World Cup quarterfinals: Morocco on the verge of history against Portugal as Kylian Mbappé’s France face England
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-09 | by ( Alasdair Howorth | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

The Moroccans have become the darlings of the World Cup. At the first “Arab” World Cup, they became the first Arab nation to qualify for the quarterfinals of the World Cup and, as the first African side to qualify for the quarterfinals in over a decade, they represent so much more than just their own nation. Born in Madrid, Achraf Hakimi scored the goal to knock Spain out of the World Cup. No team has scored more than Portugal’s 12 at the World Cup, but will the unstoppable Portugal be able to beat the immovable Morocco? Mbappé has already surpassed Cristiano Ronalo's World Cup goal scoring record and is level with Lionel Messi on nine.

☆ The Audacious, Inadvisable Gamble Behind Morocco’s Winning Penalty
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( Joshua Robinson | Jonathan Clegg | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

When the moment came for Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi to take the most important penalty kick in his country’s history, he was suddenly faced with a million options. He had 196 square feet to aim at from 12 yards out. Go right or left, high or low. Hard or soft. All Hakimi had to do to send Morocco past Spain and into the World Cup quarterfinals was put the ball where the goalkeeper wasn’t.

☆ Moroccans celebrate historic World Cup win against Spain
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

Its World Cup success has reverberated across the Arab world and among Moroccan and some other immigrant communities in Europe. “Today is a day of joy for Moroccans and all the Arab world,” Lotfi said. “Morocco is representing all the Arab world, all the African continent, that is beyond description, it is the most glorious part,” he said. In Qatar, Moroccan fans clashed briefly with police outside the stadium before the game started. Ten days ago riots broke out in Belgium and the Netherlands as Morocco fans celebrated beating Belgium in the group stage in Qatar.

☆ Morocco's round of 16 success is no fluke
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( Alasdair Howorth | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

The Atlas Lions had roared to stun 2010 World Cup winner Spain and reach the quarterfinals of Qatar 2022. “Now it is the Africans and Arabs.”For many, it was the shock of the tournament, as the North Africans won their first ever knockout game at a World Cup. Many Moroccans thought that it could be after the World Cup or in a few years, but none were unhappy when it was announced he would take over the national side less than 100 days before their first game at the World Cup. In African football, Regragui has often been compared with José Mourinho thanks to his tactical discipline and stellar man-management skills. Morocco’s success at the World Cup may be best story of the tournament so far, but it is not the not the result of luck and grit, but rather expertise and planning.

CNN —Several players of Morocco’s national team unfurled a Palestinian flag on the pitch while celebrating their historic World Cup win over Spain in Qatar on Tuesday. This is the second time Moroccan players have raised the Palestinian flag after winning a match. Morocco’s player Jawad El Yamiq raised the Palestinian flag while celebrating his country’s 2-1 victory over Canada last week. Football authorities have occasionally issued fines for displays of the Palestinian flag inside grounds. Videos on social media also show Palestinians celebrating Morocco’s win in the streets of several cities in the West Bank and in Gaza.

☆ Morocco knock Spain out of World Cup on penalties
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/5] Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 - Round of 16 - Morocco v Spain - Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan, Qatar - December 6, 2022 Morocco's Achraf Hakimi celebrates after scoring the winning penalty during the penalty shootout as Morocco progress to the quarter finals REUTERS/Matthew ChildsAL RAYYAN, Qatar, Dec 6 (Reuters) - Morocco dumped Spain out of the World Cup in a last-16 penalty shootout on Tuesday with Spanish-born Achraf Hakimi scoring the decisive spot-kick after Spain squandered all three of their attempts, following a 0-0 draw over 120 minutes. Hakimi, a product of the Real Madrid youth system, calmly slotted his penalty past Unai Simon in Spain's goal to seal Morocco's 3-0 win in the shootout. During the 90 minutes plus extra time, Spain dominated possession but failed to create many clear chances against Morocco’s stubborn defence. Morocco advanced to a quarter-final clash with either Portugal or Switzerland who meet later on Tuesday. Reporting by William Schomberg, editing by Ed OsmondOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Analysis: Soccer-Morocco success hands Arab world its first World Cup quarter-finalist
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( Mark Gleeson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

In doing so, they became the first Arab nation to advance to the last eight, ensuring a breakthrough for the region in the first global tournament in the Middle East, and also became the fourth African side to go this far in World Cup history. The ear-shattering cacophonic combination of singing, drumming, jeering and whistling from Morocco’s supporters has created an atmosphere like no other in Qatar’s stadiums. They were again the vast majority in the capacity 44,667 crowd at the Education City Stadium, completely drowning out the Spain fans. But most of them shuffled from one side to another, rarely producing the penetrative pass Spain were looking for. They will however be mightily concerned to have lost centre back Nayef Aguerd, who limped off in tears in the second half, having just made the World Cup after ankle surgery kept him out for most of the season at his new English club West Ham United.

☆ Japan reaches World Cup knockout stages with hotly debated goal after ball appeared to go out of play
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-02 | by ( George Ramsay | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Japan reached the World Cup knockout stages for the fourth time on Thursday – by what appeared to be a matter of millimeters. But it’s Japan’s second goal that has been a topic of fierce debate in the aftermath of the game, specifically regarding whether the ball crossed the goal line before Kaoru Mitoma’s cutback pass to Ao Tanaka. Tanaka’s bundled goal was initially ruled out after the linesman flagged that the ball had gone out of play. 🧐 pic.twitter.com/cVXur9vMJ1 — FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) December 1, 2022“That Japan goal almost defied physics. pic.twitter.com/mzF7YXnQiX — Nick Levett (@nlevett) December 1, 2022The goal means Japan will play Croatia in the knockout stages on Monday, while Spain plays Morocco on Tuesday.

☆ Brussels: Morocco's World Cup win against Belgium triggers riots
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-28 | by ( Sammy Mngqosini | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —Belgian police detained dozens of people on Sunday after Morocco’s 2-0 World Cup win over Belgium at the World Cup triggered riots in Brussels. “It was immediately decided to proceed to a police intervention, with the use of a water cannon and tear gas,” the Brussels police said. The office of Brussels mayor Philippe Close told CNN that parents of the young rioters will be held liable for damaged infrastructure in the Belgian capital. The victory against Belgium was Morocco’s first win at a World Cup since 1998 – and just its third ever. Abdelhamid Sabiri scored with a free kick in the second half before Zakaria Aboukhlal sealed the famous win with Morocco’s second goal in stoppage time.

☆ Brussels sees riots after Morocco beats Belgium at World Cup
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-27 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: 1 min

BRUSSELS — Police had to seal off parts of the center of Brussels, deploy water cannons and fire tear gas to disperse crowds following violence during and after Morocco’s 2-0 upset win over Belgium at the World Cup. Police moved in after one person suffered facial injuries, said Brussels police spokeswoman Ilse Van de Keere. Brussels mayor Philippe Close urged soccer fans to stay away from the city center and said authorities were doing their utmost to keep order in the streets. Morocco’s victory was a major upset at the World Cup and was enthusiastically celebrated by fans with Moroccan immigrant roots in many Belgian cities. It was not immediately clear how many people were detained during the disturbances.

Search resuls for: "Morocco’s"

12 mentions found