Fifa Women's World Cup 2023: Germany v Morocco live football ...

Live updates of the Fifa Women’s World Cup 2023 clash between Germany and Morocco.

Morocco enters its first Women’s World Cup hoping to put together the kind of fairy tale run the men’s team did last year in Qatar, when the national team made it to the semifinals in Qatar before losing to France and then Croatia in the third-place game.

Morocco is the first Arab nation to play in the Women’s World Cup, qualifying as runners-up in the Africa Cup of Nations. The Atlas Lionesses open their Group H match in Melbourne against Germany, winners of back-to-back tournaments in 2003 and 2007.

“We are really proud in Morocco for the achievements we have made so far. We feel a sense of pride and honor to represent our country on the world stage,” captain Ghizlane Chebbak said through a translator. “We have great motivation and are eager to make our mark in this tournament.”

Women’s soccer is still in its infancy in the northern Africa country, where religious conservatives object to women playing sports. Morocco has a large Muslim population.

FIFA allowed Muslim players to wear a hijab during competitions in 2014, and at this World Cup, Nouhaila Benzina will be the first player to wear a hijab at the senior women’s tournament.

“This is a great milestone for us and we hope that our match with Germany tomorrow will pave the way for other matches,” Chebbak said about the team’s debut.

There was a tense moment at Sunday’s pre-match news conference when a reporter pointedly asked if there were any LGBTQ players on the team because same-sex relationships are against the law in Morocco. FIFA moderators shut down the line of questioning.