U20 World Cup: The Atlas Cubs Crush the United States and Soar into the Semifinals

From the very first whistle, the Moroccan squad, led by their national coach, set the tone and showed impressive tactical maturity against a physically strong American side. The reward came in the 31st minute when Zabiri, finishing off a superb collective play, opened the scoring — a goal confirmed by VAR, validating Morocco’s precision and composure.

The Americans managed to pull level just before halftime, benefiting from a contentious penalty decision following a shirt pull and a push inside the box. Campbell converted from the spot in the 45+6th minute. But that momentary equalizer did nothing to shake the determination of the Atlas Cubs.

After the break, Morocco quickly regained control with remarkable poise. Their dominance paid off in the 66th minute when Zabiri, once again unstoppable on his flank, doubled the lead — a goal later confirmed by VAR in the 69th minute.

In the closing stages, the young Moroccans managed the tempo with calm and intelligence. In the 87th minute, Yassine Gessime, perfectly set up by Boumassaoudi, sealed the victory with a decisive third goal.

Under the admiring gaze of the Chilean crowd, the Atlas Cubs showed that Morocco — guided by the visionary leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI — is now reaping the rewards of massive investment in youth training and national football development.

Next stop: the semifinals, where Morocco will face either Norway or France, with unwavering ambition — to keep the national colors shining on the world stage and prove that the future of Moroccan football has never looked brighter.

A historic qualification, a collective triumph, and a moment of national pride. The Atlas Cubs continue to roar — and the whole world is listening.

Translated from Abderrazzak Boussaid’s French article – le7tv