Former Nigeria International Juwon Oshaniwa Hails Morocco’s Strong FIFA World Cup Form

Former Nigerian international Juwon Oshaniwa has spoken highly of the Morocco national football team following their impressive run at the ongoing FIFA World Cup hosted across the United States, Mexico, and Canada.

Morocco earned a narrow but important 1-0 win over the Scotland national football team in their second group match, with Ismael Saibari taking advantage of defensive hesitation to score inside the opening minutes and secure all three points.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with Footy-Africa, Oshaniwa said Morocco showed the right mentality to grind out the result.

“Morocco have done really well. It was a tough match, but football is decided on the pitch, not on paper,” he said.

“It’s about going out there, showing determination, proving how much you want it, and doing what it takes to get the three points. They managed to do exactly that.”

The African giants, who lifted the Africa Cup of Nations and are currently ranked among the top sides in world football, were unable to extend their lead after the early breakthrough. Scotland responded strongly and pushed for an equaliser, creating pressure throughout the game.

Oshaniwa, who featured for Nigeria at the 2014 FIFA World Cup and played club football for Hearts of Midlothian, also acknowledged Scotland’s resilience despite the defeat.

“Everyone coming to the World Cup knows there are no easy games and no weak teams,” he added.

“Scotland are a solid side—they even beat Haiti in their opening match—but Morocco are also a very strong team. They understand their game plan, they are technically gifted, and they can go far in this tournament.”

With the win, Morocco sit level on points with Brazil national football team in the group and now need at least a draw against bottom-placed Haiti national football team to secure qualification for the knockout stage.

Looking ahead, Oshaniwa urged caution, insisting that the final group game would not be straightforward.

“I believe if they stick to their strengths and play with the quality in their squad, they should get the win,” he said.

“But it won’t be easy or a walkover. They still have to fight hard for it if they want to progress without complications,” he concluded.

Samuel Ahmadu

Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.

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