In a dramatic turn of events, Morocco’s third-choice goalkeeper Abdelhakim El Mesbahi was brought on late in final-spot/” title=”FIFA CWC: PSG, Real Madrid Battle For … Spot”>extra time and emerged as the hero by saving the decisive penalty, securing a 5-4 shootout victory over France and propelling Morocco to its inaugural Under-20 World Cup final.
Morocco will now clash with Argentina in the final on Sunday, following Mateo Silvetti’s solitary goal that clinched a win for La Albiceleste’s U20 squad against Colombia, booking their spot in the championship showdown.
The match saw an early twist when French goalkeeper Lisandru Olmeta inadvertently scored an own goal in the 32nd minute, giving Morocco an unexpected advantage. However, midfielder Lucas Michel leveled the score in the 59th minute, keeping the contest tightly poised.
With the score deadlocked at 1-1 after regular time and extra time winding down, Moroccan coach Mohamed Ouahbi made a bold decision to substitute El Mesbahi specifically for the penalty shootout.
El Mesbahi came prepared, having studied the French players meticulously-his water bottle featured their headshots alongside a detailed chart predicting their penalty tendencies.
This meticulous preparation paid off when El Mesbahi denied Djylian Nguessan’s final penalty attempt, clinching Morocco’s place in the final.
Earlier in the match, Morocco’s first-choice goalkeeper Yanis Benchaouch suffered an injury and was replaced by Ibrahim Gomis in the 64th minute, who was then substituted by El Mesbahi at the climax of extra time.
Morocco’s journey to the final was marked by impressive victories, topping a group that included wins over Spain and Brazil, followed by knockout stage triumphs against South Korea and the United States.
This achievement surpasses Morocco’s previous best in the tournament, which was a fourth-place finish back in 2005, marking a historic milestone for the nation’s youth football program.
