Rabat – Morocco’s national women’s football team lost 2-0 to the Czech Republic in a friendly game played at the Letni Stadium in the Czech city of Chomutov on Thursday night.
The first half began with attacking play from both sides, although there were no serious threats to either goal.
The first serious attempt came in the 26th minute, when Czech forward Tereza Szewieczkova hit the post with an outside-the-box shot.
Morocco’s star player Rosella Ayane, who plays in England’s Women’s Super League for Tottenham Hotspur, responded with an attempt at goal in the 30th minute, although it was calmly collected by Czech keeper Barbora Votikova.
In the dying seconds of the first half, Szewieczkovan succeeded in putting the ball in Morocco’s goal with a header.
The second half continued in the same fashion, with both teams making attempts in each other’s boxes.
Ayane returned in the 55th minute with another serious attempt, running to the Czech penalty box before firing a powerful shot that was again saved by Votikova.
The Czech republic was able to seal their victory in the 73rd minute, when Szewieczkova took advantage of gaps in the Moroccan defense and fired a powerful shot past Moroccan keeper Khadija Er-Rmichi to get her second goal.
The friendly game was also marked by the attendance of Moroccan diaspora members in the stadium, cheering for the Atlas Lionesses.
The Czech national women’s team is currently ranked 27th in the world according to FIFA, while Morocco sits in the 73rd position.
Tonight’s game is one of the friendlies that the Atlas Lionesses are playing in preparation for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, which will be held in Australia and New Zealand between July 20 and August 20.
This year marks the Moroccan team’s first ever participation in the global competition, and their aim will surely be to follow in the Moroccan men’s team’s footsteps and leave a mark on the tournament as a further testament to the power of Moroccan football.
