."The windmills" are awaiting the roar of the "lions" .. and the Dutch media is wary of Morocco. | Dimalions
"The windmills" are awaiting the roar of the "lions" .. and the Dutch media is wary of Morocco.
about 3 hours ago
Sport
"The windmills" are awaiting the roar of the "lions" .. and the Dutch media is wary of Morocco.
Hesspress Sports·
Ahead of the anticipated football summit between the "Atlas Lions" and the Dutch "Oranje" on Tuesday, Dutch media has focused on this challenging encounter, given the strength of coach Mohamed Wahbi's squad. This coverage has gone beyond the usual news reporting to a deep analysis of this football clash that will take place at the "Monterrey" stadium in Mexico, as reflected in the headlines and articles of Dutch newspapers that addressed the topic from various angles, including both technical and human perspectives.
Under the headline "Morocco wants to prove in the big match against the Netherlands that it is indeed one of the best teams," the Dutch daily "Trouw" emphasized that "the match between the Netherlands and Morocco is a top encounter by all standards for both countries. For Morocco, this match represents an important test on the path to the bigger goal; which is not the current World Cup, but the World Cup that will be held in four years on its home soil."
It added that "the Moroccan national team is no longer the 'dark horse' of this World Cup, but has become a team that commands great respect; it drew with Brazil, then won against Scotland and Haiti. Although the performance was not entirely smooth, winning is the most important thing in a tournament like this," highlighting that "Tuesday's match against the Netherlands will be the first real heavyweight test."
It further stated: "In the background, the Kingdom of Morocco continues to work on a football project expected to peak in 2030, when Morocco will host the World Cup in partnership with Spain and Portugal. This project is clearly reflected in the national team, as well as in the stadiums, training facilities, and management," considering that "this approach also applies to attracting expatriate players; the Moroccan football federation is now trying to connect these players with the national team at an early age and with high ambition. This involves talents seen as future international players in major European countries, such as Ayoub Bouaddi, who chose to represent Morocco before the World Cup, and has so far played two very strong matches."
For its part, the Dutch website "Sport Nieuws" pointed out that the "Oranje" team has the advantage over the "Atlas Lions" in terms of the history of encounters between the two teams, noting that "the two teams have met in three previous encounters. The first match was in the group stage of the 1994 World Cup in the United States, where coach Dick Advocaat's team won 2-1 thanks to goals from Dennis Bergkamp and Brian Roy."
It continued: "In addition, the two sides met in two friendly matches; in April 1999, Morocco triumphed at the Gelredome with a score of 2-1, with the Netherlands' goal scored by Ruud van Nistelrooy (one of the current assistants to coach Ronald Koeman). In May 2017, the Netherlands responded with a 2-1 victory in Agadir thanks to goals from Quincy Promes and Vincent Janssen," pointing out that "Tuesday's match will be their fourth encounter, where the two teams will meet in an exciting and thrilling match on the pitch of the Monterrey stadium in Guadalajara, Mexico."
The same website confirmed that "this match takes on a special and charged character, as some Moroccan players were born in the Netherlands, such as former Ajax player Noussair Mazraoui, PSV's Anass Salah-Eddine, and former Feyenoord player Sofyan Amrabat, in addition to Ismail Sabiri, who knows the Dutch Premier League very well."
In a related context, the "RTL Nieuws" network reported that "the next stage of the World Cup requires greater effort and contribution compared to the group stage from the Dutch national football team players," adding, quoting the captain of the "Oranje," Virgil van Dijk, that "the encounter with Morocco will be very difficult and complex; when you play in wide spaces as we have experienced recently, the big teams will punish you for that."
Regarding the "Atlas Lions," the same Dutch media network noted that "the name Ismail Sabiri stands out as one of the brightest stars of the Moroccan national team in the current World Cup; the PSV player, who recently transferred to Bayern Munich, has managed to score three goals so far, noting that he plays with the Moroccans as a central striker and not as a playmaker or attacking midfielder."
The same source quoted Dutch player Denzel Dumfries saying: "We know Sabiri and many Moroccan players, of course, and there is a large Moroccan community living in the Netherlands. I think it will be a great match and an enjoyable football battle, and it is important for us, after surpassing the group stage, to show noticeable improvement; now is the time for decisive action."
On the airwaves of "Omroep Brabant" radio, Dutch football legend René van de Kerkhof acknowledged the difficulty of his country's match against Morocco, emphasizing that "Morocco simply has a top-class team, in addition to the enthusiasm and physical intensity with which these young players play, and having some players from Paris Saint-Germain along with Sabiri... I am afraid that we will not be able to get through," predicting that "the match will go to penalties, and at that point, we will exit the tournament."
Meanwhile, Willy van de Kerkhof, the brother of the aforementioned Dutch player, appeared more optimistic, considering during the same program "Willy and René" broadcast by the mentioned radio that "the match with Morocco will be wonderful, and one of the highlights of this tournament, but I believe we will ultimately win it."
In an extensive analysis of the Dutch national team's performance in the group stage, the website "VoetbalPrimeur," which specializes in local and international football news, sports analysis, and transfer market updates, confirmed that "coach Koeman regularly changes his play style. However, he sometimes faces difficulties when the opponent changes their tactics," adding that "the Netherlands conceded four goals in the group stage, two of which came from set pieces. Despite the Netherlands' historical strength in defending against set pieces, the mistake was repeated twice in this stage."
It further explained that "the reason for this is very simple; the Netherlands uses the same defensive organization every time, allowing the opponent to devise an ideal counter-plan. The team also defends corner kicks in the same way every time, with players covering certain areas while the rest of the players block the opponent's players."
"VoetbalPrimeur" concluded that "there are many positive points to build on in the upcoming rounds. However, Koeman must address the defensive gaps as soon as possible, as the defensive system in the knockout stages is extremely critical; falling behind by a goal in the knockout stages gives the opponent the opportunity to fully retreat into their areas, making it extremely difficult to come back in the score."
