Morocco gained their first ever victory at a Women’s World Cup as they secured a shock win over South Korea.

Ibtissam Jraidi scored Morocco’s first World Cup goal with a sixth-minute header as the north Africans, ranked 72nd in the world, stunned their 17th-ranked opponents.

Sixteen-year-old substitute Casey Phair fired wide for South Korea late on.

Morocco defender Nouhaila Benzina made history by becoming the first player to wear a hijab at a World Cup.

“We are just so pleased our efforts have paid off. This victory is for Morocco and Arabs, it’s the fruit of our hard work,” said Jraidi.

South Korea have now lost both matches and will be eliminated if Germany avoid defeat against Colombia on Sunday.

Morocco lost 6-0 to Germany in their first match in Group H, but were much better against South Korea.

There was only one shot on target in the first half, with Jraidi scoring with a diving header following Hanane Ait Elhaj’s cross for Morocco’s first ever goal at the tournament.

South Korea, managed by Englishman Colin Bell, performed better in the second half, but could not find an equaliser.

Ji So-yun had a good chance with a central free-kick just outside the penalty area in the 82nd minute, but her effort did not clear the Morocco defensive wall.

Phair, who became the youngest player to ever play in a Fifa Women’s World Cup match when she came on in the 2-0 loss to Colombia, failed to hit the target with a late chance.

Morocco coach Reynald Pedros said: “There’s a sense of pride for us to pull this first World Cup win out of the bag.

“We didn’t change our philosophy. The Korean team is not like the German team and we got off to a blinding start.

“We were efficient in the box, that was missing against Germany.”

Player of the match

AyaneRosella Ayane

with an average of 8.67

South Korea

  1. Squad number11Player nameChoe Yu-Ri

    Average rating

    6.02

  2. Squad number3Player nameHong Hye-Ji

    Average rating

    5.98

  3. Squad number9Player nameLee Geum-Min

    Average rating

    5.98

  4. Squad number12Player nameMoon Mi-Ra

    Average rating

    5.86

  5. Squad number8Player nameCho So-Hyun

    Average rating

    5.71

  6. Squad number15Player nameChun Ga-Ram

    Average rating

    5.68

  7. Squad number2Player nameChoo Hyo-Joo

    Average rating

    5.66

  8. Squad number10Player nameJi So-Yun

    Average rating

    5.64

  9. Squad number14Player nameJeon Eun-Ha

    Average rating

    5.61

  10. Squad number20Player nameKim Hye-Ri

    Average rating

    5.50

  11. Squad number7Player nameSon Hwa-Yeon

    Average rating

    5.42

  12. Squad number13Player namePark Eun-Sun

    Average rating

    5.37

  13. Squad number19Player namePhair

    Average rating

    5.28

  14. Squad number4Player nameShim Seo-Yeon

    Average rating

    5.09

  15. Squad number18Player nameKim Jung-Mi

    Average rating

    4.89

  16. Squad number16Player nameJang Sel-Gi

    Average rating

    4.77

Morocco

  1. Squad number23Player nameAyane

    Average rating

    8.67

  2. Squad number2Player nameRedouani

    Average rating

    8.60

  3. Squad number10Player nameBadri

    Average rating

    8.50

  4. Squad number6Player nameNakkach

    Average rating

    8.49

  5. Squad number19Player nameOuzraoui Diki

    Average rating

    8.43

  6. Squad number9Player nameJraïdi

    Average rating

    8.38

  7. Squad number7Player nameChebbak

    Average rating

    8.22

  8. Squad number11Player nameTagnaout

    Average rating

    8.09

  9. Squad number8Player nameAmani

    Average rating

    7.93

  10. Squad number1Player nameEr-Rmichi

    Average rating

    7.91

  11. Squad number20Player nameBouftini

    Average rating

    7.86

  12. Squad number4Player nameKassi

    Average rating

    7.57

  13. Squad number17Player nameAït El Haj

    Average rating

    7.54

  14. Squad number3Player nameBenzina

    Average rating

    7.48

  15. Squad number5Player nameEl Chad

    Average rating

    7.38

Line-ups

South Korea

Formation 3-5-2

  • 18Kim
  • 20Kim
  • 3HongSubstituted forPhairat 84′minutes
  • 4Shim
  • 2ChooSubstituted forMoonat 45′minutes
  • 9LeeSubstituted forChunat 88′minutes
  • 10Ji
  • 8Cho
  • 16Jang
  • 7SonSubstituted forChoeat 45′minutes
  • 13ParkSubstituted forJeonat 69′minutes

Substitutes

  • 1Yoon
  • 5Kim
  • 11Choe
  • 12Moon
  • 14Jeon
  • 15Chun
  • 17Lee
  • 19Phair
  • 22Bae
  • 23Kang

Morocco

Formation 4-4-1-1

  • 1Er-Rmichi
  • 17Aït El Haj
  • 5El Chad
  • 3BenzinaBooked at 81mins
  • 2Redouani
  • 19Ouzraoui Diki
  • 6NakkachSubstituted forBadriat 80′minutes
  • 7Chebbak
  • 11TagnaoutSubstituted forBouftiniat 80′minutes
  • 8AmaniSubstituted forKassiat 69′minutes
  • 9JraïdiSubstituted forAyaneat 74′minutes

Substitutes

  • 4Kassi
  • 10Badri
  • 12Zouhair
  • 13Seghir
  • 14Mazrouai
  • 15Gharbi
  • 16Lahmari
  • 18Chapelle
  • 20Bouftini
  • 21M’Rabet
  • 22Arouaissa
  • 23Ayane

Referee:
Edina Alves Batista

Attendance:
12,886

Match Stats

Live Text

  1. Match ends, Korea Republic 0, Morocco 1.

  2. Second Half ends, Korea Republic 0, Morocco 1.

  3. Attempt missed. Sofia Bouftini (Morocco) right footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Ghizlane Chebbak with a cross.

  4. Foul by Choe Yu-Ri (Korea Republic).

  5. Sakina Ouzraoui Diki (Morocco) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

  6. Delay over. They are ready to continue.

  7. Delay in match because of an injury Casey Phair (Korea Republic).

  8. Foul by Casey Phair (Korea Republic).

  9. Sarah Kassi (Morocco) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  10. Corner, Korea Republic. Conceded by Zineb Redouani.

  11. Attempt missed. Jang Sel-Gi (Korea Republic) left footed shot from the left side of the box is close, but misses the top right corner. Assisted by Jeon Eun-Ha.

  12. Attempt missed. Chun Ga-Ram (Korea Republic) right footed shot from outside the box is too high.

  13. Corner, Korea Republic. Conceded by Nesryne El Chad.

  14. Attempt missed. Rosella Ayane (Morocco) left footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Ghizlane Chebbak.

  15. Substitution, Korea Republic. Chun Ga-Ram replaces Lee Geum-Min.

  16. Attempt missed. Casey Phair (Korea Republic) left footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Jeon Eun-Ha following a set piece situation.

  17. Cho So-Hyun (Korea Republic) wins a free kick on the right wing.

  18. Foul by Najat Badri (Morocco).

  19. Substitution, Korea Republic. Casey Phair replaces Hong Hye-Ji.

  20. Attempt blocked. Ji So-Yun (Korea Republic) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.