Jean-Talon Boulevard erupted in uncontrolled joy on Saturday afternoon as Moroccan supporters danced, cheered and cried over their team’s historic World Cup quarter-finals victory.
Morocco beat Portugal 1-0, making them the first ever African squad to secure a spot in the World Cup semifinal, the largest soccer tournament in the world. When the referee’s final whistle blew on Saturday, they flooded out of cafés and apartments to celebrate.
“It’s history being made. You see the joy on everyone’s face … it speaks volumes about the pride that this team brought us,” said Moroccan-born Montrealer Noureddine Douay.
“We played for Africa, we played for the Arab world.”
Red and green smoke wafted through the Petit Maghreb neighbourhood, the heart of Montreal’s sizable Moroccan and North African community. The city is home to more than 50,000 Moroccan immigrants and tens of thousands of others with ties to the country.
“They deserved to win,” said Bouchaib Kaebori, who was born in Morocco, as the boom of fireworks sounded amid the revellers. He wore a Moroccan flag draped over his shoulders, a visible sign of the pride for his home country.
“We are really, really proud as Moroccan-Canadians. We won against some of the biggest teams in the world: Belgium, today Portugal, even Spain.”
Above the crowd, dozens of Moroccan flags fluttered in the wind. But the green star of Morocco was joined by the crescent moon of Algeria and the Palestinian ensign. Moroccan supporters say they feel the entire Arab world is throwing its support behind the team.
Green and red smoke wafted above Montreal as Moroccan supporters chanted and cheered their team’s victory in the World Cup quarter final. (Jay Turnbull/CBC Montreal)
“Nobody believed in us … This year the cup is for us, no doubt,” Zizou Lina told CBC in Petit Maghreb.
“We’re so proud to be Moroccan.”
The crowd chanted and danced outside the Café Sable d’or on Jean-Talon Boulevard, just east of Saint-Michel Metro station, at the heart of the Petit Maghreb neighbourhood.
The neighbourhood held a sense of bubbling anticipation before the Saturday morning showdown with Portugal. But earlier this week, Moroccan Montrealers said they were confident of their team’s success.
“At first I really thought Brazil was going to win but when we made it to the quarter finals, I realized we can go really far,” said Maryam Beghdali after the big game.
“I’m really happy for us. It’s the first time in history that Morocco has made it this far in the World Cup so I’m really excited to see if we’re going to make it to the final or we’re actually going to win it.”
Morocco is set to play against France on Wednesday to determine who will go to finals.
TORONTO – Reigning PWHL MVP and scoring champ Natalie Spooner will miss the start of the regular season for the Toronto Sceptres, general manager Gina Kingsbury announced Tuesday on the first day of training camp.
The 33-year-old Spooner had knee surgery on her left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) after she was checked into the boards by Minnesota’s Grace Zumwinkle in Game 3 of their best-of-five semifinal series on May 13.
She had a goal and an assist in three playoff games but did not finish the series. Toronto was up 2-1 in the semifinal at that time and eventually fell 3-2 in the series.
Spooner led the PWHL with 27 points in 24 games. Her 20 goals, including five game-winners, were nine more than the closest skater.
Kingsbury said there is no timeline, as the team wants the Toronto native at 100 per cent, but added that “she is doing really well” in her recovery.
The Sceptres open the PWHL season on Nov. 30 when they host the Boston Fleet.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2024.
LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.
“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”
Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.
The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.
Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.
“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”
Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.
“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”
The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.
“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”
Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.
“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.
Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.
The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.
The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.
Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.
Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.
