SERBIA VS MOROCCO PREVIEW & PREDICTION
An interesting encounter between two more or less equivalent World Cup leaders. Both Serbia and Morocco have an excellent selection, where they can undoubtedly hurt the big boys as an underdog.
Serbia:
In a group in which the prizes were awarded on the last day of play, Serbia peaked at the right moment. A late goal during the 1-0 victory over the void of Georgia, proved to be the first place after ten matches. After the team was not allowed to go to Brazil for a final tournament four years before, they are back again for the second time in the country’s early history.
Where the last six years Branislav Ivanovic walked the field with the captain, national coach Mladen Krstajic announced this week that the band would go to someone else. The national coach chose 32-year-old Aleksandar Kolarov as a new extension. Of the current selection, Ivanovic was the only player who participated in the last final tournament on behalf of the Serbs.
Incidentally, it is remarkable that Krstajic is sitting on the bench as national coach during the World Cup. After the successful qualification Slavoljub Muslin was allowed to take his stuff in mutual consultation. According to the Serbian federation, the last matches (3-2 defeat in and against Austria and the 1-0 victory over Georgia) gave too little confidence for a successful World Cup.
Morocco:
Now that the Dutch national team is missing during the final tournament, the looks are thrown at the other countries. One of the other participants where warm feelings can be generated is Morocco. In the Moroccan team, a lot of players feel connected to the Netherlands. On the one hand because these players were born in the Netherlands, on the other because they are (have been) active in the Eredivisie or speak the Dutch language.
National coach Hervé Renard has already called in a number of Dutch-Moroccans in the past, and during this international round he appeals to five players active in the Eredivisie. Where FC Groningen striker Mimoun Mahi was not called this time, Yassin Ayoub (FC Utrecht) is allowed to play for the national team for the first time. Renard also appeals to Karim El Ahmadi, Soufyan Amrabat of Feyenoord, Hakim Ziyech of Ajax and Zakaria Labyad, also FC Utrecht.
During the qualification the Moroccans did not have much trouble. In the pool with Gabon, Mali and Ivory Coast no match was lost and so they went quite easily towards the World Cup ticket. The Moroccan team is one to keep an eye on. Not so much as title favorite, but because of the Dutch influences and the strong team spirit. In the pool with Spain and Portugal, for example, it seems a step too far.
PREDICTION: Serbia to win @ 1.85
