At 20 Morocco challenges France for history
Today the second semifinal. Argentina awaits the outcome, with coach Scaloni anxious about Messi: after the match against Croatia he accused a muscle problem, but should recover
Moroccan exultation (Ansa)
The challenge is unprecedented, at least at these latitudes: France-Morocco is worth the final of a World Cup with little quality in terms of play, but full of surprises and background.
At 20 (Al-Bayt stadium in Al Khor in Qatar and live on RaiUno) coach Regragui's selection plays for history, for Africa and for the Arab world: for this too he will have the whole stadium in his favour.
In the previous five, all friendlies, France have only conceded two draws to Morocco, who are aiming not to concede a goal for the fifth game in a row: a sequence that smells like a record. Last time, in Paris in 2007, it finished 2-2. The reigning world champions, however, want to confirm themselves. Mbappé warms up his muscles and Giroud aims for his fifth personal goal (he would be the oldest player to have scored so many in a World Cup).
Morocco should take the field with a team very similar to the one that eliminated Spain. Regragui recovers Mazraoui and hopes to be able to deploy captain Saiss.
Deshamps' doubts are instead linked to the conditions of Upamecano and Rabiot: if they don't recover, Konaté and Fofana are ready.
Interested spectator of the challenge is Argentina. In the semifinals, Scaloni's team beat Croatia with a penalty from Messi and a double from Alvarez in the 5th minute in the first half. Then the "Pulce" also gave Alvarez the ball for the third goal. The challenge was well refereed by the Italian Orsato, who left a bit of the Italian flag in the second consecutive world championship competition without the Azzurri.
It's been 36 years since Albiceleste won the title , since Maradona (1986 in Mexico). Messi, its current prophet, has won everything (even seven Ballon d'Ors and six Golden Boots) and hopes to conquer the only title missing from his vast collection of trophies. He overtook his compatriot Batistuta with 11 goals as Argentina's top scorer in the World Cup. But it is precisely the PSG champion who keeps Scaloni anxious for the final who, after the match against Croatia, suffered a muscle problem. But it should recover.
(Unioneonline)
