Morocco Wary of Iran in World Cup

Morocco soccer assistant coach Mustapha Hadji has underlined the importance of the country’s 2018 FIFA World Cup opener against Iran.

The Atlas Lions will take on the Asian nation at Krestovsky Stadium in Saint Petersburg on June 15 in what will be the opening game of Group B.

According to Africanfootball.com, seeded alongside European heavyweights Portugal and Spain, the two nations know the significance of their clash as the first group game.

“The first game will be our final,” Hadji said. “It will be a tough game because we watched Iran in qualifying and know it is a very good team with a very good spirit”.

“But if we win, we have a great opportunity to reach the second round. That’s what we are waiting for,” he added.

Hadji was the 1998 African Footballer of the Year and played for Morocco the last time it qualified for a World Cup. He is confident that his nation can surprise both Spain and Portugal.

“They are big nations of football and have won everything already,” Hadji noted. “So that’s why we have nothing to lose against them. But we can surprise them”.