For their first participation in the World Cup, the Atlas Lionesses will not be entitled to an acclimatization round and for good reason, they start the competition on Monday at the Melbourne Rectangular Stadium (9:30 am GMT + 1), against a big size and not the least, Germany double world champion and one of the favorites of this edition.
This match of the first day of group H will be decisive for the continuation of the course of the national team and it is therefore important to negotiate it well, especially at the start of the game, which is essential to enter the match and relieve the pressure.
To succeed in the bet, coach Reynald Pedros will rely on a group combining youth and experience, which is quite homogeneous given that the players have been playing together since the start of the African qualifying campaign for this World Cup and above all which has shown defensive solidity, especially during the preparatory matches, an asset which will be of great use in front of the German strike force.
Among the most prominent players are 27-year-old Tottenham Hotspur striker Rosella Ayane, known for her runs without the ball which often create space for her teammates, captain Ghizlane Chebbak (AS FAR), who has scored 21 times since her debut in 2008, defender Nesryne El Chad (LOSC Lille), who forms a strong defensive duo with Yasmin Mrabet ( FC Levante), or winger Fatima Tagnaout (AS FAR), who stands out for his impressive technical qualities and ability to navigate tight spaces on both sides.
On the mental level, this group has overcome many obstacles together and has offered itself, in a short time, a place of choice among the greats of Africa, especially during the last CAN at home. At the World Cup, Moroccan women will have to draw on this journey to find the strength to believe that nothing is impossible and that hierarchies are not inevitable in football.
The feat of the men’s selection at the Qatar-2022 World Cup can, in this regard, represent a great source of inspiration for Ghizlane Chebbak’s teammates, in order to overcome the gap in front of their most formidable opponent in this group.
In anticipation of these matches, the Moroccan team played three friendly matches, the last of which was lost 1-0 against the Jamaican team last Sunday. The Atlas Lionesses had played two other friendly matches in preparation for the World Cup, the first against Italy on July 1 ended in a draw (0-0), as did the second, played on July 5 against Switzerland.
Anyway, the Lionesses of the Atlas intend to show the full extent of their talent during this World Cup and confirm the rise of women’s football in Morocco.