Futsal: Brazil faces Morocco in the quarter-finals of the World Cup

Brazil finished its preparations to face Morocco in the quarter-finals of the FIFA World Cup. The match will be held this Sunday (29), at 9:30 am (Brasília time), at the Universal Sports Complex in Bukahra, Uzbekistan.

Brazil and Morocco replay the quarterfinals of the 2021 World Cup, in Lithuania. On that occasion, the Brazilian team won 1-0. It was also the first team in the preparation cycle for this World Cup. Two friendly matches were held in Laayoune (MAR), in November 2021. Brazil lost the first friendly match 3-1. In the second they won 2-0. In October of the following year, two more friendlies were held, this time in Brazil, in Santa Catarina. In Brusque, a goalless draw, but in Tubarão the Seleção won 4-1. For the coach Marquinhos Xavier, It is a very balanced confrontation, especially from a technical point of view.

“These are two teams that really like to play with possession. Morocco is very strong in this, they always play an offensive game. He is a well-known opponent for Brazil. The confrontations demonstrate a very great balance in the matches”explains.

Morocco qualified for the quarter-finals as second in Group E. In the round of 16, they eliminated Iran, fourth in the FIFA rankings, by winning 4-3. The Moroccan team’s first participation in World Cups took place in 2012, when they were not passed the first phase, just like in 2016.

Brazil is the biggest winner in world championships. He was champion of the tournament in 1989, 1992, 1996, 2008 and 2012. In this edition, the Brazilian team has the best attack in the World Cup, with 32 goals scored and the least leaky defense with only two goals conceded. In his debut, he scored a 10-0 rout of Cuba. They then defeated Croatia 8-1 and finished the group stage with a 9-1 victory over Thailand. The team advanced to the quarterfinals after beating Costa Rica 5-0.

“They are different paths, Brazil is much more solid, perhaps balanced, proving that defending helps you attack better. Morocco also goes through some difficulties along this path. There is a very complicated and exhausting game in the round of 16 against Iran. There were strong emotions, but this also helps you calibrate, helps you prepare. Whoever has more emotional balance, whoever has the game more in mind will understand the clues the game will give and make the most of it all.”

Brazil is at the top of the FIFA Men’s Futsal World Ranking. Portugal, which won the last World Cup in Lithuania, in 2021, and Spain, two-time world champion, complete the top 3. In this edition of the competition, the two teams were eliminated in the round of 16 by Kazakhstan and Venezuela, respectively. Therefore, Marquinhos Xavier adopts the statement that there is no such thing as favoritism.

“Hindsight is important and helps tell a story, but on the court everything is left behind. You need to repeat the effort, repeat the dedication, I don’t think any of the favorites who fell also came in thinking they were favorites, it’s balance, technical balance. It is a World Cup already planned, before it started, which would be the most difficult.”

Whoever qualifies will face the winner of Ukraine and Venezuela in the semifinals.

Source: CBF