Izuchukwu Okosi
Former Super Eagles striker Julius Efosa Aghahowa hopes to see a fully fit Morocco side take on Portugal in the quarterfinals of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar this Saturday reports Prime Business Africa.
The Atlas Lions beat Spain 3-0 on penalties to reach the quarterfinals stage after the game had ended scoreless in 120 minutes.
The feat becomes the fourth time in the World Cup that an African team will reach the ‘last 8’ of the mundial after Cameroon (1990), Senegal (2002) and Ghana (2010).
Aghahowa who was the poster boy of Nigerian football during the 2000 Africa Cup of Nations co-hosted by Nigeria and Ghana has been on analysis duties in the ongoing 2022 FIFA World Cup for Brila FM, Lagos and had the following to say about Morocco’s readiness to face Portugal.
“It’s football, they should be jumping at the bits now. The Moroccan players are ready to play against any team now. It’s a booster (win against Spain),” Nigeria’s 2000 Africa Cup of Nations hero told Brila FM, Lagos.
“The Morocco backroom staff need to have the players with knocks recover as quick as possible before the quarterfinals against Portugal.
“Maybe some of the players didn’t expect to play in the match (on Tuesday against Spain). Kudos to them for this win,” Aghahowa who once played in the English Premier League for Wigan Athletic told Brila FM, Lagos.
Aghahowa scored thrice at the 2000 Africa Cup of Nations which was his senior international now after his impressive 1999 FIFA U-20 World Cup performance also hosted by Nigeria.
Morocco aside being Africa’s most impressive side in Qatar 2022 also topped a group that had Croatia, Belgium and Canada, becoming the second African team to finish the group stages on top following Nigeria’s feat in USA 94 and France 98.
Senegal were the other African team to reach the quarterfinals of the tournament but were beaten 3-0 by England.
Tunisia, Ghana and Cameroon were eliminated on the group stages of the tournament albeit they all remarkably won games against teams expected to steamroll over them.
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
