Morocco produced a stunning upset at the FIFA Women's World Cup Finals on July 30, downing Korea Republic 1-0 in front of 12,886 fans at Coopers Stadium to record their first-ever win on the game's greatest stage and give themselves a chance of advancing to the knockout stages of the competition at the first time of asking. Having lost 6-0 to Germany in their opening game, the "Atlas Lionesses" got off to the best possible start in this encounter, opening the scoring in the sixth minute. Hanane Ait El Haj and Salma Amani worked a one-two on the right which saw the fullback fire in a cross to the near post. Diving to meet it, literally, was Ibtissam Jraidi, who marked her first start of the tournament by guiding  her diving header beyond Korean goalkeeper Jung Mi Kim and in by the foot of the far post, an act which saw her engulfed by her team-mates as she celebrated a terrific goal. The Koreans were clearly rattled by this early setback, and nearly went further behind in the thirteenth minute when Hye Ji Hong's headed clearance ended up on the roof of her own net as she strove to prevent Fatima Tagnaout's cross from being capitalised upon by those in white running in behind her. The "Taeguk Ladies" needed to establish a foothold in the match, and after Geum Min Lee's shot was blocked by Morocco's tireless captain, Ghizlane Chebbak, they began to offer more of an attacking threat than had been the case early doors. Seon Joo Lim and beanpole striker Eun Sun Park - at over six feet tall, she stands head and shoulders over most of her team-mates - combined to set up Hyo Joo Choo in the twentieth minute, her wayward shot being diverted goalwards but past the post by the alert Hwa Yeon Son. After another Tagnaout cross had left Kim flapping at the ball in vain, Korea threatened again in the 26th minute, So Yun Ji's measured cross for Park, who directed a powerful headed effort from the vicinity of the penalty spot past Khadija Er-Rmichi's right-hand post. Back came Morocco, Er-Rmichi sparking a raid in which Zineb Redouani and Tagnaout combined on the left. The latter scooted clear before whipping in a cross to the near post which Amani, arriving on cue, volleyed over the bar - a great chance to double the lead gone begging. On the half-hour, Ji was caught in possession outside her penalty area by Sakina Ouzraoui, who sent a shot fizzing past the far post. Within a minute, the Koreans had responded, Son getting to the by-line before seeing her cross headed clear by Nouhaila Benzina, who didn't let the fact she was making history as the first hajib-wearing footballer at the FIFA Women's World Cup Finals distract from her performance - she was excellent. Cue Chebbak, the lionhearted leader of the "Atlas Lionesses". Benzina and Jraidi combined to present their captain with a shooting opportunity which she sent flashing narrowly past the far post from

twenty-five yards in the 33rd minute, while on the stroke of half-time, Chebbak powered past three opponents before inviting Tagnaout to set up Amani, who failed to control the ball at the crucial moment. Korea made changes for the second half, with Yu Ri Choe instantly causing problems upon her introduction, but it was Morocco who fired the first shot in anger. Benzina sent a free-kick wide to the impressively performed Tagnaout, who executed a round-the-corner pass which invited Redouani to let fly. Kim saved at her near post in the 51st minute. The Asian Cup runners-up sought an instant response, with Park the focus of much of their play. But having a targetman-type player goes against the grain of Korea's natural style, one in which fluent passing and swift interchanges of the ball are central to their progress. Consequently, they created very little throughout the half which threatened the Moroccans. That suited the North African team, who should have doubled their lead in the 55th minute when Kim spilled Chebbak's corner. Benzina skied her bid to turn the ball home, the only opportunity of note either side registered until the 87th minute, when Korea, who were, by now, rather desperate in their quest to level the scores, saw Ji send Sei Gi Jang to the by-line, from where she pulled the ball back into the stride of teenage sensation Casey Phair. Her shot on the turn, fired just three minutes after she had been introduced to the action, fizzed narrowly past the post. Alas for Korea, this would prove to be their last chance of note, unlike Morocco, who had captain Chebbak to thank for the three opportunities to increase their winning margin before the final whistle. The first saw the skipper work her way down the left before setting up Rosella Ayane, who pulled her shot across Kim but just beyond the far post in the 88th minute. In stoppage time, Kim had to pull out all the stops to prevent the ball from reaching Chebbak as she came hunting again, the 'keeper grabbing the sphere on the edge of her penalty area. Deep in stoppage time, Chebbak threatened again on the left, this time beating a couple of opponents before picking out Sofia Bouftini, whose cheeky back-heeled effort skidded past the near post, much to her dismay. This swiftly turned to joy, however, the final whistle condemning Korea to a defeat which leaves their World Cup hopes hanging by a thread, unlike Morocco, for whom this win has announced their presence on the world stage in the most memorable fashion. Korea Rep.:     J. Kim; H. Kim, Hong (Phair, 84), Shim; Choo (Moon, 46), Lee (Chun, 88), Ji, Cho, Jang; Son (Choe, 46), Park (Jeon, 69) Morocco:     Er-Rmichi; Ait El Haj, Benzina (booked, 81), El Chad, Redouani; Ouzraoui, Nakkach (Badri, 80), Chebbak, Tagnaout (Bouftini, 80); Amani (Kassi, 69), Jraidi (Ayane, 74) Referee:     Edina Alves (Brazil)