Key events
15 mins: Almost two! The long ball to Jraidi is cushioned down, fed out to the left, and the returning cross is headed nervously onto the roof of the net by the back-pedalling Hong! Korea may still be adjusting to the late change, but this has been a very shaky start at the back.
13 mins: Morocco are working so hard up front and in midfield to deny Korea any time or space to play through the lines. Salma Amani is everywhere, hunting down Korean defenders.
12 mins: It’s all Morocco at the moment. They’re the only side looking to get the ball down and play, and they’re sharp in the tackle to regain posession when it slips from their grasp. Korea are very sluggish.
10 mins: Chebbak is busy again in midfield but her attempted ball inside the Korean right fullback is overhit and out for a goal kick.
8 mins: Korea are looking for the early direct ball to the powerful Eun-Sun Park to flick on, but Morocco are more urgent to the second balls, snuffing out any danger on the ground even if they lose the aerial battle.
GOAL! South Korea 0-1 Morocco (Jraidi, 6)
After Hong’s giveaway for a throw-in on the right, Hanane Ait El Haj whips in a teasing cross to the near post where Ibtissam Jraidi gets in front of her marker and glances a perfect header into the far corner for Morocco’s maiden World Cup goal! Stunning start for the North Africans.
6 mins: Plenty of 50:50s in midfield with the ball bouncing awkwardly in the wind. Korea have yet to settle, as demonstrated by Hye-Ji Hong almost getting caught in possession.
4 mins: Nice build-up play by Morocco down the left featuring Chebbak’s neat footwork. Amani has pop from distance but it’s easily cleared before Ouzraoui makes a dangerous dart inside from the right to earn a corner. It’s not the best set piece, but a bright start from the underdogs nonetheless.
2 mins: Elodie Nakkach with an early reducer in midfield on So-Yun Ji as both teams acclimatise to the blustery conditions in South Australia.
Kick-off!
The battle to remain alive in Group H is under way.
It looks like there might be a late change for Korea with Lim Seon-Joo picking up an injury in the warm up. Seo-Yeon Shim comes into defence at the last minute.
Welcome to Country performed, anthems sung, pennants exchanged, it’s almost time for kick-off.
Out come the two sides onto the Hindmarsh Stadium turf. Adelaide currently bathed in sunshine. It’s a glorious scene.
If Morocco are going to earn their first point(s) in World Cup history, a lot will rest on star forward Ghizlane Chebbak.
Korea have impressive results in their locker. They beat World Cup rivals Australia and Philippines en route to the final of the 2022 Asian Cup, and led China 2-0 after an hour of the decider, only to lose 3-2. A year previously they held the USA to a 0-0 draw, ending the UWSNT’s 22-match home winning streak. Their fans will expect to win today.
Edina Alves Batista from Brazil takes charge of her second match of the tournament after overseeing Australia v Ireland on the opening day.
South Korea will be in red this afternoon, Morocco in white.
Casey Phair made the headlines in round one when the American-born Korean became the youngest player to feature at a Women’s World Cup. She will be eager to gain more experience off the bench today.
It’s a mild winter’s day in Adelaide but a stiff northwesterly breeze will make for tricky playing conditions, and it may also blow a shower or two through the City of Churches. Despite the weather, the players should at least enjoy Hindmarsh Stadium, a well-proportioned football-first venue praised consistently by Australia’s professional footballers. Crowds of around 13,000 have already witnessed victories to Brazil and China already this tournament.
We’re under half-an-hour from kick-off, which gives you just enough time to catch up on the latest Women’s Football Weekly podcast.
If you want to get up to speed on today’s squads, you’ve come to the right place.
It will be an historic occasion for women’s football today with the recalled Nouhaila Benzina becoming the first player to appear at the World Cup wearing hijab. The rule to allow the headcovering was made in 2014, and nine years later the Moroccan defender will be the first to make use of it.
Morocco XI
Changes for Reynald Pedros as well with Nouhaila Benzina and Nesryne El Chad coming into defence, Salma Amani into midfield, and Ibtissam Jraidi in attack. 4-4-1-1 for the Atlas Lionesses.
South Korea XI
Colin Bell has made three changes to the side that lost to Colombia. 38-year-old Jung-Mi Kim takes her place between the sticks following Young-Geul Yoon’s howler against in round one. Elsewhere, Hye-Ji Hong slots into defence and Eun-Sun Park bolsters the attack. It looks like a 3-5-2 set-up, with Brighton’s Geum-Min Lee the only member of the starting XI not playing club football in Korea.
[𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗥𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗫𝗜] 모로코전에 출전하는 🇰🇷여자축구국가대표팀의 선발명단을 공개합니다!
📌Non-playing 류지수
✔2023 FIFA 호주·뉴질랜드 여자월드컵 조별리그 2차전
🇰🇷v🇲🇦#모로코 07.30(일) 13:30 🏟힌드마시스타디움
📺KBS2, MBC, SBS ⏰한국시간 기준#고강도 #높게강하게도전하라 pic.twitter.com/38EdszFN6y— theKFA (@theKFA) July 30, 2023
Preamble
Jonathan Howcroft
Hello everybody and welcome to live coverage of South Korea v Morocco from Hindmarsh Stadium in Adelaide. Kick-off in Match 32 of World Cup 2023 is 2pm local time / 2.30pm AEST / 5.30 am BST.
Korea, ranked 17th in the world, and runners-up at the most recent Asian Cup, arrive desperate for a win to keep their hopes of reaching the knockout phase alive. They were undone 2-0 by an effervescent Colombia in their opening encounter, and with Germany to come, they dare not leave Adelaide without three points.
Expectations are lower for Morocco. Ranked 76th in the world when the draw was made, the Atlas Lionesses qualified as runners-up in the 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations. On World Cup debut, they were handed a lesson by an in-form Germany, going down 6-0 in Melbourne. They haven’t won a match or scored a goal in their last six international fixtures.
I’ll be back with team news and insights from the two camps shortly. If you want to get in touch at any point you can always send me an email.
