Morocco stunned the footballing world at HBF Park on 3 August, overcoming Colombia 1-0 to join the South Americans in advancing to the last sixteen of the FIFA Women's World Cup Finals, ousting Germany in the process. Prior to this tournament, the Germans had never finished outside the top eight in all eight previous runnings of this event, and had thumped the "Atlas Lionesses" 6-0 in their opening match - a baptism of fire for Reynald Pedros' team. But a 1-0 win over Korea Republic in their previous match, allied to Colombia beating Germany, meant that a final round result which was superior to that recorded by "Die Nationelf" against the Koreans would earn Morocco a place in the knockout phase of the tournament, unlikely though it seemed. With the games taking place simultaneously, it meant focusing on the task at hand from the outset, and Morocco certainly started in the right manner, threatening twice inside the first two minutes of the contest. Ghizlane Chebbak, Morocco's captain, played a lovely ball through for Ibtissam Jraidi to exploit inside the first sixty seconds, the striker cutting in off the left before forcing Catalina Perez to turn her shot round the post. Chebbak played the resulting corner short to Fatima Tagnaout, whose whipped cross prompted Perez to punch the ball round the upright. Colombia cleared the resulting corner, and eventually engineered their first chance of the match in the eleventh minute, Mayra Ramirez's rasping drive flying past the near post after she'd been sent through the inside right channel by Catalina Usme. Two minutes later, Tagnaout led another Moroccan raid, picking out Jraidi with a cross which resulted in a clever twelve-yard header and a diving save by Perez to match. Numerous close calls at both ends of the park followed - had the respective defences not been up to scratch, shots on target and goals would surely have followed. Morocco had a let-off in the twentieth minute, Nouhaila Benzina cleaning up calmly after goalkeeper Khadija Er-Rmichi had completely missed Ramirez's cross intended for Leicy Santos, who went close just before half-time with a flying header over the bar after the quietly-performed Linda Caicedo had scooted down the right and delivered a delicious cross to the far post. The Moroccans responded to this close call by taking the lead on the stroke of half-time. Jraidi was clumsily felled in the area by Daniela Arias, presenting Chebbak with the chance to fire her country in front from the penalty spot. Perez plunged to her left to parry her spot-kick, but Sakina Ouzraoui was first to the rebound and set up Anissa Lahmari to ram the ball home from point-blank range, a goal which was celebrated wildly by the North African fans - could the first-time finalists be on the verge of more history? As the scores were level in Brisbane in the other encounter. Colombia enjoyed by far the better of the second spell, given they needed a point to be assured of finishing top of the group - a German win, allied to the current scoreline, would leave Nelson Abadia's team in second place, ahead of the Moroccans on

goal difference. "Las Cafeteras" duly piled on the pressure, Caicedo raiding down the left in the 58th minute, from where she picked out Daniela Montoya with a cross. Her shot was blocked by the outstretched leg of Er-Rmichi. Benzina cleared the loose ball to the edge of the area where Lorena Bedoya Durango was lurking, and she sent a shot sizzling past the post - it was so close the paint was blistering! Four minutes later, Er-Rmichi turned a Ramirez shot round the post. Santos' resulting corner wasn't initially cleared, but Morocco eventually scrambled the ball to safety, after which Tagnaout worked a 66th minute one-two with Chebbak - her return pass was inch-perfect, and allowed the winger to play in Jraidi … at least, that was the plan. The execution made it easy for Perez to secure possession. More Colombian pressure soon materialised, Bedoya Durango picking out Arias with her 72nd minute corner. The defender directed her header straight at Er-Rmichi, who produced a stunning reflex save a minute later to tip a Caicedo shot over the bar after the lively Ramirez had combined with Usme once again. A rare error by Benzina let Ramirez in on the right five minutes later, but she slammed her shot against the near post. Remarkably, that proved to be Colombia's last chance, as in the last ten minutes, Morocco pressed for a second goal, Chebbak leading them on. Her superbly weighted 82nd minute pass sent Tagnaout racing through, only to shoot straight at Perez. Two minutes later, Chebbak pole-axed Jorelyn Carabali with a piledriver, her treatment contributing to the nine minutes of stoppage time which left nerves jangling in both camps, given the goings-on elsewhere. In stoppage time, Chebbak and Ouzraoui teamed up with Tagnaout, who scooted away once more before inviting Roselia Ayane to let fly. Her shot on the turn was saved by Perez, who dashed out to save at the feet of the same player in the dying moments after Ouzraoui had sent Ayane through on goal. The sound of the final whistle was met with delight by Morocco - they had done their part, and Colombia also, given they had qualified for the last sixteen regardless of the outcome in Brisbane. Cue a nervous wait for the Moroccans, who exploded with unconfined joy when news came through that Germany had only drawn with the Koreans - the unthinkable had become reality. The knockout stages of the FIFA Women's World Cup Finals will be graced by three African nations, in Morocco's case at the very first time of asking. And how they rejoiced! Morocco:     Er-Rmichi; Ait El Haj, Benzina, El Chad, Redouani; Ouzraoui, Nakkach, Chebbak (booked, 90), Tagnaout; Jraidi (Ayane, 86), Lahmari (Amani, 71) Colombia:     Perez; C. Arias (Restrepo, 90), Carabali, D. Arias, Vanegas (booked, 50); Bedoya Durango (Chacon, 86), Santos, Montoya (Ospina Garcia, 59); Ramirez, Usme, Caicedo Referee:     Maria Ferrieri Caputi (Italy)