Morocco’s Under-17 women’s team have been eliminated from the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup after suffering a 6-0 defeat against defending champions North Korea in the Round of 16.
The match, played on Wednesday at pitch 2 of the Mohammed VI Football Complex in Salé, saw the North Korean side dominate the hosts to secure their place in the quarter-finals.
North Korea established control in the first half, scoring four times before the break. Morocco struggled to contain their opponents’ attacking threat, leaving the hosts facing a significant deficit going into the second half.
The defending champions continued to press after the interval, scoring twice more to complete a comprehensive victory and bring Morocco’s participation in the tournament to an end.
The result keeps North Korea’s hopes of retaining the title alive, while Morocco must now reflect on a campaign that saw them progress beyond the group stage and compete in the knockout rounds on home soil.
North Korea entered the last-16 encounter with a strong record, having finished top of Group B with nine points to qualify for the knockout stage.
That form continued against Morocco, as the Asian side demonstrated their attacking strength and took advantage of the hosts’ difficulties in dealing with their opponents.
Four first-half goals gave North Korea a commanding advantage before the break, putting them firmly on course for victory.
Morocco faced an uphill battle in the second period, but the defending champions maintained their pressure and added two further goals to complete the 6-0 win.
The victory sends North Korea into the quarter-finals as they continue their bid to secure another FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup crown.
Their performance against the host nation underlined their status as one of the leading sides in the competition, having already emerged from the group stage with a perfect points tally.
Morocco reached the Round of 16 after finishing their Group A campaign strongly enough to qualify as one of the best third-placed teams.
The Atlas Lionesses secured their place in the knockout stage following a challenging group campaign that included victories against New Zealand and Argentina.
Progression from the group provided the young Moroccan players with an opportunity to extend their participation in the tournament and continue their campaign in front of home supporters.
However, the meeting with North Korea proved a difficult test for the hosts.
The defending champions’ four-goal first-half performance left Morocco with a substantial deficit, and the two additional goals after the interval confirmed their elimination from the U17 Women's World Cup.