South Korea 0-1 Morocco: Women’s World Cup 2023 Group H – live reaction | Women’s World Cup 2023

Key events

And to continue with the theme of firsts, the player of the match was arguably Moroccan central defender Nouhaila Benzina, the first player to appear in a World Cup wearing hijab.

Nouhaila Benzina excelled in defence for Morocco against Korea.
Nouhaila Benzina excelled in defence for Morocco against Korea. Photograph: Matt Turner/EPA

Disaster for South Korea. They were toothless all afternoon and without a goal in two matches are now effectively out of the 2023 World Cup.

In Morocco’s second ever World Cup match they scored their first World Cup goal, and earned their first World Cup win. They are very much alive heading to a final round showdown with Colombia.

Full-time: South Korea 0-1 Morocco

Morocco hold on! What a result in Group H.

Morocco players celebrate their victory over Korea.
Morocco players celebrate their victory over Korea. Photograph: James Elsby/AP

90+6 mins: Morocco are cool coming out of defence – too cool – and Korea force the turnover with a desperate lunge. Can they find the killer pass? No. Yu-Ri Choe slices the ball out of play. Surely that’s it.

90+5 mins: Chebbak does well to carry the ball into the left corner. She whips over a cross that Bouftini spins and flicks behind at the near post.

90+4 mins: Even this late in the piece, Morocco continue to offer more threat on their rare counters than Korea can muster despite dominating possession.

90+3 mins: There’s bodies on the ground in the box as the ball gets delivered – Korea want a penalty – but the Brazilian referee adjudges the first foul was against a Moroccan.

90+2 mins: Morocco go from attacking on the right to Redouani conceding a cheap corner tracking back.

90+1 mins: Sel-Gi Jang should do better from the left edge of the box on the burst, failing to pick a target inside her or get a shot away. So frustrating for Colin Bell and Korea’s supporters.

90 mins: Six minutes of added time for Morocco to hold out.

89 mins: Korea are desperate now, but Ga-Ram Chun shooting miles over from distance is not the solution.

88 mins: Morocco break quickly and Rosella Ayane is put through with only the keeper to beat, but she runs out of steam and tamely scuffs a shot wide! End to end in Adelaide!

87 mins: Was that the chance!? Casey Phair almost does produce the miracle! The long ball into the box is controlled by So-Yun Ji who finds a teammate on her outside. The pull-back the penalty spot finds Phair, who does well to clear her feet, but drags her shot wide. The best chance of the night for Korea.

86 mins: It’s all gone very flat for Korea.

84 mins: Yu-Ri Choe carries the ball dangerously through the middle, but there is nobody ahead of her and she’s eventually crowded out. Morocco counter with purpose and enjoy sending the ball into the right corner for some respite.

83 mins: Teenager Casey Phair is on for a late cameo. She’ll need to perform a miracle if Korea are to remain alive in this World Cup.

82 mins: So-Yun Ji clips the free-kick straight into the wall.

81 mins: Benzina goes in the book for a clear professional foul. Korea, for the first time all night, threatened to get in behind on the counterattack with numbers after the Moroccan defence got caught ball-watching. However, the runner set off far too early, forcing the ball carrier to retain possession, and have her heels clipped 25m out.

80 mins: Reinforcements for that final rearguard action come on with Nakkach and Tagnaout replaced by Najat Badri and Sofia Bouftini.

79 mins: Benzina hits the deck after Mi-Ra Moon steps on her right boot executing a clearance. That buys Morocco some precious time to settle things down and steel themselves for the final 10 minutes.

77 mins: Korea continue to probe, upping the intensity, and playing more combination football in the absence of Park, passing their way to the edge of the box and forcing a corner. Hye-Ri Kim floats it over to the top of the box, So-Hyun Cho heads it down, but Morocco are first to the loose ball.

75 mins: Time running out for Korea, who draw an excellent diving punch out of Khadija Er-Rmichi to force away a Yu-Ri Choe cross from the right with players free in the box.

73 mins: Jraidi does well initially to hold the ball up for Morocco and fashion a shooting chance, but she takes too long and gets robbed, allowing Korea to attack at pace on the transition – until Hye-Ji Hong is professionally fouled in midfield.

That’s the last action Jraidi has for the day. Her historic goal is what separates the two sides but she looks exhausted as Rosella Ayane comes on in her place.

72 mins: Both substitutes are into the action early with Eun-Ha Jeoun doing well to spin out of traffic and feed the ball into feet between the lines. Kassi is alert to the danger and does well to hook a leg in and execute the tackle without conceding a free-kick.

70 mins: 19-year-old Sarah Kassi is coming on for Morocco to provide some fresh legs. The tiring Salma Amani makes way.

And a surprise substitution for Korea with Park – hitherto the focal point of Korea’s approach – replaced by Eun-Ha Jeoun.

68 mins: Korea continue to probe, but it’s all in innocuous areas. As soon as the ball is delivered into the box there are enough white shirts on hand to make the clearance.

66 mins: Hye-Ri Kim is again on set-piece duty, this time from outside the box on the right hand side. She curls over a dangerous cross but Hanane Ait El Haj times her head to perfection near the penalty spot.

65 mins: So fixated on defence are Morocco, they are punch-drunk heading forward. Can Korea find the inspiration to fashion a clear goalscoring opportunity?

63 mins: Korea are rising to the task in midfield. They win a couple of physical challenges that were going Morocco’s way in the first half, and it earns them another corner. Hye-Ji Hong flicks on the delivery at the near post, but there’s nobody at the far post to force it home.

62 mins: Morocco are failing to retain possession downfield, allowing Korea to camp themselves in attacking territory. Might be time for a change for the Atlas Lionesses with a couple of players starting to look off the pace.

60 mins: Hye-Ri Kim floats over a another set-piece, but it’s a little firmer this time and despite So-Hyun Cho coming in at pace at the far post she can only glance her effort wide.

58 mins: Hye-Ri Kim floats a tempting ball over the box that Er-Rmichi fails to deal with under pressure from Park. Morocco eventually clear but the second ball comes back in and Er-Rmichi is again at fault for conceding a corner when she had the chance to shepherd the danger out for a goal-kick.

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