Kings Cup: Morocco reaches semifinals after beating USA

Morocco has advanced to the semifinals of the Kings World Cup Nations after a dramatic quarterfinal clash against the United States at the KL Arena in Milan, Italy.

The match ended in a 7-7 draw after regular time, with Morocco ultimately securing a 2-1 victory in a tense penalty shootout on Wednesday.

Nadir Louah put Morocco ahead in the first minute, but the USA responded quickly with goals from Devin Vega (2’) and Eduardo ‘Pollo’ Cortés (19’).

The goals continued to rain down as an own goal by Team USA's Stefan Mijatovic (10’) and a strike from Achraf Mohamed Saoud (26') kept Morocco in the game.

Danny Benítez (20+1’, 31’) scored a brace for the USA, matched by Fuad El Amrani (22', 33') for Morocco. Late goals from Luís Morales (8’) and Castro (23’) for the USA further intensified the deadlock.

With the clock ticking down, Nadir Louah scored again in the 39th minute, forcing the match to a penalty shootout.

Morocco held their nerve to win the shootout 2-1, securing their place in the semifinals.

Morocco's journey so far included a 4-1 loss to Colombia, followed by convincing wins against Ukraine (9-2) and Japan (4-2).

The United States entered the quarterfinal undefeated, having secured victories against Mexico (4-2) and Uzbekistan (6-2).

The Kings World Cup Nations, the brainchild of former Barcelona defender Gerard Piqué, features a unique seven-a-side format with two 20-minute halves.

The tournament has garnered significant international attention, with live streams attracting millions of viewers.

Morocco will now compete in the semifinals on January 10th, continuing their quest for the Kings World Cup title. The final is set to take place at Juventus Stadium in Turin, Italy.

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