Wydad carrying FIFA Club World Cup hopes of nation basking in football’s spotlight

Wydad carrying FIFA Club World Cup hopes of nation basking in football’s spotlight
Wydad Casablanca's starting eleven pose (AFP)
Short Url
Updated 03 February 2023

Wydad carrying FIFA Club World Cup hopes of nation basking in football’s spotlight

Wydad carrying FIFA Club World Cup hopes of nation basking in football’s spotlight
  • Morocco’s hosting of the intercontinental competition comes less than two months after country’s sensational performances at 2022 World Cup in Qatar

Al-Hilal, the most successful team in Asian history with four continental championships, are approaching the FIFA Club World Cup in high spirits.

The first match, however, is going to be even tougher than usual.

Wydad AC are not only African champions, but are playing in their home nation of Morocco, a country currently flying high in international football. Also high are hopes that passionate local fans can help the Casablanca club overcome the “Real Madrid of Asia” and go as far in this tournament, or even further, than in other recent global competitions. 

Last July, Morocco hosted the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations and took it by storm on and off the pitch. No Arab team had ever progressed past the group stage before, but they swept to the final on the back of genuine excitement and delight from the North African nation.

There were full stadiums as the Atlas Lionesses topped their group, beat Botswana in the quarterfinals and then squeezed past Nigeria, winners of 11 of the 13 past tournaments, 5-4 in a semifinal penalty shootout. With such narrow margins in that game, it is not beyond the realms of possibility that the fans inside the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium made the difference.

There were messages from King Mohammed VI and other prominent figures, and while South Africa were a little too strong in the final, the host nation and the fans did themselves proud. There will obviously not be as many who make the long trip to New Zealand and Australia in the summer as Morocco become the first Arab representative at the Women’s World Cup, but it will be well-watched at home.

If it goes anywhere near as well as the men’s World Cup then it will be quite a show. Heading into the 2022 tournament, many expected a repeat of 2018 when Morocco were in a tough group, performed well and then went home early. 

Not quite. It started with a goalless draw against 2018 finalists Croatia. Deserved wins over Belgium, ranked second in the world, and then Canada gave the Atlas Lions top spot in their group. Then came a famous second-round victory over 2010 winners Spain. That was followed by an even more famous win over Portugal. It ended with a 2-0 defeat in the semifinal to France and they pushed the defending champions all the way.

While the likes of Sofyan Amrabat, Yassine Bounou and Achraf Hakimi made many headlines, so did the fans. Tens of thousands crammed into stadiums in Qatar and generated incredible atmospheres that could be felt around the world. Many felt they were the best fans at the tournament and it is certainly true that the games against European giants Spain, Portugal and France felt like home games for Morocco.

That is something that Wydad coach Mehdi Nafti hopes can be replicated in the coming week or so, even if the opener against Al-Hilal is not in Casablanca, but Rabat.

“We will not be worse than other teams even if we know that we are not favorites, but we know that we will play at home in front of our fans and this is great for us and a great motivation, and we would like to continue the situation that followed the World Cup with the Moroccan national team,” the 44-year-old said. 

“I know for sure that the rest of the teams will respect us, and this is a great challenge for us. It is very important that we have experienced stars in the team, and with our hearts and our fans we can move mountains.”

Nafti, a former Tunisian international, has been in the job at Wydad for just a month.He succeeded Hussein Ammouta, who was fired in November after a 3-0 defeat to FUS Rabat. Ammouta replaced Walid Regragui, the man who led Wydad to the African title in May with a win over Egyptian giants Al-Ahly (who are also at the Club World Cup and face Seattle Sounders for the right to take on Real Madrid).

The 47-year-old Regragui then left in August to take over the Moroccan national team and led them to World Cup success. 

It is not a surprise then that Nafti has been in contact with Regragui, a former teammate.

“I knew that I would coach the African champions who won the local league last season, and the coach who was here is a friend of mine, so all these things made me accept the task, not only that we will play at the Club World Cup.”

“I still have contact with Regragui,” Nafti added. “We played together in France with Toulouse and in Racing Santander as well. He helped me a lot, especially in the early days, to adapt and learn about Wydad quickly.”

It seems to have worked. Domestic form is good, and Wydad have won four and drawn two of the last six leagues and sit second in the league.

With three members of the World Cup squad — Ahmed Reda Tagnaouti, Yahya Jabrane and Yahia Attiyat Allah — and star midfielder Aymane Hassouni in good form, and new Cameroon striker Didier Lamkel added to the team, there is hope.

Regragui believes that if Al-Hilal can be defeated then Wydad can go far.

“I expect a balanced game because Al- Hilal are the Real Madrid of Asia, and have exceptional players and supporters, but playing at home is an advantage for Wydad,” Regragui said.

“Wydad have talented players. Aymane Hassouni is a great player and deserves to shine. The team has also been strengthened by new recruits capable of making a difference. The game against Hilal is a tough game. If Wydad manage to win, they can easily reach the final. Everything is possible.”


Lewandowski hits two as Liga leaders Barca cruise past Elche

Lewandowski hits two as Liga leaders Barca cruise past Elche
Updated 02 April 2023

Lewandowski hits two as Liga leaders Barca cruise past Elche

Lewandowski hits two as Liga leaders Barca cruise past Elche
  • The Polish forward has endured a small dip in form recently but was back to his lethal best to continue the Catalans’ procession toward the title

ELCHE, Spain: Robert Lewandowski struck twice as Barcelona moved 15 points clear at the top of La Liga with a comfortable 4-0 win at Elche on Saturday.
The Polish forward has endured a small dip in form recently but was back to his lethal best to continue the Catalans’ procession toward the title.
Ansu Fati also found the net for the first time since October in the league and Ferran Torres rounded out the comfortable win, as Xavi was able to play some reserve players ahead of Wednesday’s Copa del Rey semifinal clash with Real Madrid.
Elche, playing under new coach Sebastian Beccacece for the first time, are bottom of the table and never seemed likely to trouble the runaway league leaders. Champions Madrid, second, host Real Valladolid on Sunday.
“We’ll see what Madrid do tomorrow, (but) if we win our games, we will be champions,” Eric Garcia told Movistar.
“The coach told us all at the start of the season, everyone is important.
“We have an important game on Wednesday and he was able to rest some players.”
Barca coach Xavi took the chance to experiment by deploying Garcia in Sergio Busquets’ usual pivot role, and made several other changes to his usual side.
Torres and Fati started on the flanks, the latter having made headlines this week after his father complained about the Barca number 10’s lack of minutes.
“(Goals) always give confidence to the forward, today it went perfectly,” Xavi told Movistar.
“Two goals for Robert, one for Ferran, one for Ansu, and Ansu’s work — he ended up exhausted, that’s the truth.
“Aside from the goal, that is very positive for him and his confidence, how he worked for the team, it’s really important for me, and the goal is a consequence of his work and his talent.
“I’m especially happy for Ferran, Ansu, the players that maybe deserved goals, today they scored.”
Lewandowski broke the deadlock after 20 minutes with his first goal in four league matches, scuffing a finish into the ground, with the ball looping over a defender and into the net.
The Polish international and the top goalscorer in the league grabbed his 16th and 17th strikes of the campaign — he has 27 across all competitions.
Barcelona should have increased their lead in the first half but Lewandowski nodded over from Torres’ cross from just six yards out, while Elche defender Omar Mascarell slid in to clear a Jules Kounde effort off the line.
Gavi pulled the strings in midfield as Barcelona dominated at the Martinez Valero stadium, securing a 20th clean sheet of the season in the top flight.
Fati stretched Barcelona’s advantage 10 minutes into the second half, running from the halfway line with the Elche defense backing off, before drilling into the bottom corner.
Lewandowski pounced again after Gavi won the ball back for the third and then played a fine long ball to Torres, who drifted inside and slotted home the fourth.
Xavi handed midfielder Aleix Garrido, 19, his debut in the final stages, as the hosts showed a few signs of life.
Fidel Chaves headed against the crossbar but like so many other sides this season, Elche could not beat Marc-Andre ter Stegen, with the German goalkeeper denying Josan Fernandez.
Elche are 14 points from safety with 11 matches remaining.


Aston Villa leapfrog Chelsea into top half of Premier League

Aston Villa leapfrog Chelsea into top half of Premier League
Updated 01 April 2023

Aston Villa leapfrog Chelsea into top half of Premier League

Aston Villa leapfrog Chelsea into top half of Premier League
  • Defeat saw Chelsea drop into the bottom half of the table to increase the pressure on Blues manager Graham Potter
  • This was Villa's fifth away win since Unai Emery became manager of the Birmingham club in October

LONDON: Aston Villa climbed above Chelsea and into the top half of the Premier League table with a 2-0 win at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.
Ollie Watkins gave Villa an early lead before a superb strike by John McGinn, fresh from starring in Scotland’s shock Euro 2024 win over Spain, made it 2-0 in the 56th minute.
Defeat saw Chelsea drop into the bottom half of the table to increase the pressure on Blues manager Graham Potter, with the London club booed off the field by their own supporters at full-time.
This was Villa’s fifth away win since Unai Emery became manager of the Birmingham club in October and they have now won 16 points on the road, a tally equalled only by champions Manchester City in that period.
All 10 of Chelsea’s league wins this season have come against bottom-half opponents, but this reverse meant they drop into 11th place in the table.
Villa moved up into ninth, one point off Liverpool in eighth, and just two points off a European place.
Emery’s men almost gifted Chelsea the lead soon after kick-off when goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez rolled the ball short to Boubacar Kamara, who was dispossessed by Mykhailo Mudryk.
The Ukrainian, however, was denied by Martinez when one-on-one with the Argentina World Cup-winner.
Villa responded quickly, Watkins pulling a shot wide before McGinn hit the crossbar in the 15th minute with a curling shot.
But the in-form Watkins broke the deadlock in the 18th minute, capitalizing on a slack header from Marc Cucurella before lobbing the ball over Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga.
Martinez preserved Villa’s lead by diving low to his left to deny Kai Havertz.
Chelsea were on top, playing attractive and attacking football but with no goals to show for their efforts.
In the match as a whole, Villa only had five shots on target to Chelsea’s 27 but, significantly, they made two of them count.
Villa captain McGinn doubled the lead in style with a well-struck curling effort from 25 yards out.
Chelsea worked hard but rarely threatened a goal, with the one consolation for the Blues the sight of defender N’Golo Kante, a 2018 World Cup winner with France, coming off the bench in the 57th minute as he made his first senior appearance for the Blues under Potter, having been sidelined since August.


Bayern put four past Dortmund on Tuchel debut to go top

Bayern put four past Dortmund on Tuchel debut to go top
Updated 01 April 2023

Bayern put four past Dortmund on Tuchel debut to go top

Bayern put four past Dortmund on Tuchel debut to go top
  • A shocking own goal from Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel, as well as two trademark poacher's finishes from Thomas Mueller had Bayern 3-0 up by the 25th minute
  • Kingsley Coman added a fourth shortly after half-time to send Bayern two points clear of the visitors

MUNICH, Germany: Bayern Munich went back to the top of the Bundesliga on Saturday, defeating Borussia Dortmund 4-2 at home to give Thomas Tuchel a winning start as coach of the Bavarian giants.
A shocking own goal from Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel, as well as two trademark poacher’s finishes from Thomas Mueller had Bayern 3-0 up by the 25th minute.
Kingsley Coman added a fourth shortly after half-time to send Bayern two points clear of the visitors despite two late consolation goals.
“We need the desire to get better, because we have to get better,” Tuchel said, although he praised his side’s “desire to fight for the ball.”
“It was the result we absolutely wanted.”
Dortmund came into the match in the unfamiliar position of first place, one point ahead of Bayern, who fired coach Julian Nagelsmann in favor of Tuchel last week.
Tuchel, who won a German Cup title during a two-year stint in charge of Dortmund, only had one training session with Bayern but it was Kobel who gifted them a flying start in the 13th minute.
The ‘keeper, who returned after a five-week injury layoff, charged out of his box to try, and clear Dayot Upamecano’s long pass, but could only make the faintest of contacts with the ball before watching helplessly as it rolled into the net.
Mueller scored from a corner just five minutes later and pounced when Kobel spilled Leroy Sane’s shot five minutes after that.
“Sometimes there are crap days and today was one of them,” Kobel told Germany’s Sky, blaming himself for the defeat.
But Dortmund coach Edin Terzic backed his ‘keeper, saying: “We can’t forget that this man is the reason we were on top of the table.”
Unlike earlier in the season when Dortmund came from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 at home with Bayern, there would be no miracle comeback this time around, with Coman sliding the ball under Kobel early in the second half.
Emre Can converted a consolation penalty after Serge Gnabry fouled Jude Bellingham in the box, while Dutch forward Donyell Malen added a second for Dortmund in the last minute of normal time.
Munich have won their last nine home league matches against Dortmund, scoring 37 goals and conceding just eight in the process.
Dortmund will need to regroup after the defeat, their first league loss in 2023, ahead of their German Cup quarter final at RB Leipzig on Wednesday.
Bayern face Freiburg twice in the space of a week, once at home in the Cup on Tuesday and then away in the league on Saturday.
Union Berlin kept up their surprise pursuit of the Bundesliga title with a 3-0 victory over rock-bottom Stuttgart.
Second-half goals from Sheraldo Becker, Kevin Behrens and an own goal from former Union player Genki Haraguchi took the third-placed side to just two points behind second-placed Dortmund and four from Bayern.
“After half-time, we played like we should,” said Union coach Urs Fischer.
Mainz dealt fifth-placed Leipzig’s bid for Champions League football next season a blow, winning 3-0 at the Red Bull Arena.
Freiburg missed a chance to take advantage of Leipzig’s loss, drawing 1-1 at home against struggling Hertha Berlin.
Bayer Leverkusen handed Schalke their first defeat in nine matches, winning 3-0 away thanks to second-half goals from Jeremie Frimpong, Florian Wirtz and Sardar Azmoun.
Elsewhere, a goal from Germany forward Felix Nmecha in the sixth minute of injury time stole a point for Wolfsburg, who drew 2-2 at home against Augsburg.


Saudi Women’s U-17 national team captain aims to inspire Saudi girls

Saudi Women’s U-17 national team captain aims to inspire Saudi girls
Updated 01 April 2023

Saudi Women’s U-17 national team captain aims to inspire Saudi girls

Saudi Women’s U-17 national team captain aims to inspire Saudi girls
  • At 16, Majd Alotaibi is one of the youngest players in the women’s First Division

RIYADH: Majd Alotaibi is dreaming big.

The captain of the U-17 Saudi Women’s National Football Team — established in February —hopes to inspire other girls across the Kingdom and dreams of winning the FIFA World Cup with the Green Falcons.  

The U-17 team, led by Croatian coach Stella Gutal, consists of 28 players and is captained by Alotaibi, who is one of the youngest players in the Saudi women’s First Division, in which she represents Al-Yamamah FC.

Alotaibi started playing football in 2013, aged six, in a team coached by her father, who was a professional football player himself.   

“My dad used to be a player so I felt like football was in my blood,” Alotaibi told Arab News. “It’s been a big part of my life since I was young.” Her family and friends “and everyone cheering me on” are her main motivation, she added. And she hopes to be a source of motivation for others too. “Being one of the youngest players in the (league and national team) means that I have to inspire younger girls,” she added. 

She is quick to credit her teammates at Al-Yamamah as well, saying: “I would like to thank my teammates first of all, because they helped make it easier for me; because I’m one of the youngest, they take care of me.”  

Alotaibi stressed that discipline and dedication are crucial for anyone hoping to become a professional.

“If you love the game and you want to do amazing things and achieve a lot, you need to believe 100 percent in what you’re doing,” she explained. “Always being there on time, always the first person on the field, last person off the field. If you have passion for something, you’re going to achieve a lot of great things.” 

On March 24, Saudi Arabia’s Women’s National Team entered the FIFA world rankings after nine international matches over the previous year.  

“Currently the Saudi national team is ranked 171 out of 188 national teams. That just proves how hard we have been working in such a short time so, inshallah, in the future you will see how far we come,” Alotaibi said.  

After a recent victory in an international friendly match, the team gathered for official pictures, and Alotaibi mimicked Manchester City star Erling Haaland’s ‘yoga meditation’ goal celebration.  

 “I know it’s Haaland’s move, but I was happy and wanted to celebrate and that was the first thing that came to mind,” she said. “Now it’s become a thing.”

She has another signature pose where she brings her hands together to create the letter “M.”

“It’s M for Majd,” she said. “Inshallah, for upcoming matches when I score, I will do it.” 

For now, Alotaibi is focusing on her career with Al-Yamamah and the Saudi national team, but would she consider a move in the future?

“What’s next for me is I want to become the best player in the league,” she said. “Regarding (other) clubs… to be continued.”


Gabriel Jesus ends drought as Arsenal beat Leeds 4-1 in EPL

Gabriel Jesus ends drought as Arsenal beat Leeds 4-1 in EPL
Updated 01 April 2023

Gabriel Jesus ends drought as Arsenal beat Leeds 4-1 in EPL

Gabriel Jesus ends drought as Arsenal beat Leeds 4-1 in EPL
  • Jesus converted a first-half penalty for his first goal since Oct. 1 to give Arsenal the lead
  • Ben White added the second goal shortly after the halftime break

LONDON: Gabriel Jesus ended a six-month scoring drought by netting twice as Premier League leader Arsenal beat Leeds 4-1 on Saturday to maintain some breathing space atop the standings.
Jesus converted a first-half penalty for his first goal since Oct. 1 to give Arsenal the lead, and then made it 3-0 with a simple finish from close range in the 55th. The Brazilian striker had played 17 games for club and country without a goal, a stretch that was also interrupted by a lengthy spell on the sidelines after being injured at the World Cup.
Ben White added the second goal shortly after the halftime break and Granit Xhaka headed in a late fourth as Arsenal maintained an eight-point gap over defending champion Manchester City, which have a game in hand.
Leeds pulled a goal back with a deflected shot by Rasmus Kristensen to make it 3-1 in the 76th, but the loss leaves the visitors just a point above the relegation zone.
After City battered Liverpool 4-1 in the early game, Arsenal were under pressure to respond but nearly went behind inside 10 seconds for the second time in their last three home league games. Leeds almost replicated Bournemouth’s feat of scoring straight from the kickoff at the Emirates with a quick attack down the right flank, but Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale kept out Kristensen’s shot that time.
Bukayo Saka was on the bench for Arsenal for the first time in the league since December 2021 because of a minor illness, and the Gunners’ attack seemed to lack their normal fluidity for the opening 30 minutes — although Jesus wasted a great chance in the 11th when he headed over the bar from six yards out. Instead it was Ramsdale that had saves to make as he had to deny Crysencio Summerville and Jack Harrison in quick succession shortly after the half-hour mark.
But Arsenal went ahead after Luke Ayling tripped Jesus in the area and the Brazilian converted the spot kick by sending Illan Meslier the wrong way and slotting his shot down the middle.
It was all Arsenal in the second half, as White was on hand at the far post to steer in a low cross from Gabriel Martinelli in the 47th to double the lead.
Jesus then played a neat interchange with Leandro Trossard, who broke into the area and squared the ball back for the striker to slot into an empty net.
While Kristensen gave the visitors some hope when his shot deflected off the back of Oleksandr Zinchenko to wrongfoot Ramsdale, Arsenal responded with a rare headed goal from Xhaka, as the Switzerland midfielder met a cross from Martin Odegaard to seal the win.