World Cup: Morocco shows true tactical discipline - Richard Scully
SHAH ALAM - National Coaches Association vice-president Datuk Richard Scully said the Morocco football team showed true tactical discipline during the World Cup 2022.
He said that Morocco had shown the world what it was all about tactically being disciplined in a block-defending aspect during the World Cup 2022 match against Spain.
“It holds them (Spain) back for 120 minutes until the penalty shoot.
“As a coach educator in this industry, I really want this clip, this segment is shared in Asia as study material,” he said during Sinar Daily’s programme, The Footy Forum: The Last Eight yesterday.
Richard also said that the Morocco team managed to bring Spain down to the same level as them.
“They didn’t raise their bar there, and they brought Spain to their level. That is pure tactical discipline.
“They (Morocco) drag them (Spain) down. They (Morocco) did not go out there and play, they were just waiting for them (Spain) to come in, and they were all thinking about the transition play only on the counterattack.
When asked about Morocco’s chance of winning against Portugal, Richard explained that the match would not be the same as the previous one with Spain.
“No two situations are the same. They go and play against Portugal. Now it is a totally different ball game.
“The technical people would have definitely watched how they played, and they would say, look, we’ve got to do this and this so it would not happen.
He said that even if Morocco loses to Portugal, they will be proud of beating Spain in the match.
“So if at all they (Morocco) say goodbye, it will be a good goodbye because you are going with something to be proud of.
“They took over Spain to tell them ‘this is how we play our football, to teach you that you have come to us’.
On Tuesday, Achraf Hakimi scored the winning penalty kick in a penalty shootout, sending Morocco to the World Cup quarterfinals for the first time in their history.
After 120 minutes without a goal at Education City Stadium, Spain had three penalty shots, but Moroccan goalkeeper Yassine Bounou saved two of them, and Pablo Sarabia hit the post.
Morocco wants to make World Cup history when they play against Portugal in the quarterfinals at 11pm tonight.
