2013 CWC: Raja Casablanca - Auckland City (Quarterfinal Playoff) [R]

Raja have everything to trample Auckland, but you never know what can happen with them. Sometimes they choke from nowhere even playing better than their opponent...I think Raja will win by a 2 goal margin.
If fact, I would say that Raja is probably a higher threat to other clubs than japanese ones - a packed stadium with their supporters can change a whole game, and technically speaking they are better overall.

 

So, Raja have been here before, back in 2000, Brazil.

Three defeats in three games. Will they break their duck? They've lost to South American, European and Asian opposition. Is Oceania next in the line?

Any indication of how good Raja are? Last time out in CAF Champions League, they lost to Berekum Chelsea of Ghana 5:3 (lost away 5:0) and last continental action was in the 2012-13 UAFA Cup - a tournament for North African and Middle Eastern sides - losing in the semi's to Al Arabi of Kuwait - a nation that doesn't take part in the Asian Champions League until next year.

 

Believe me, good enough to be a surprise and even get to final. I follow Botola and specially Raja since 2004, and I can say they have a solid team. The team who played at last CAF CL isn't there, and their loss to Al Arabi was more unluck than anything - they were winning by 2-0 and suffered two strange goals at 88' and 92'. Acutally they also lost the Moroccan (Throne) Cup to DHJ at p.k., playing better the whole match.

But as I said, they are unlucky. By logical means I expect a win against Auckland and a tight match against Monterrey. If they reach the Semi, I think they have talent + supporters to win Atlético Mineiro, but not as favourites.

 

But this is the odd thing I guess about Raja. They go into this tournament as complete unknowns effectively. We don't have any Champions League performances to base them on. All we really have is their history.

But, they should be better hosts than when Al Ahli and Al Wahda of the UAE were hosts. I don't know if there's any pressure on them at home to go far or if the lack or continental action will show this to be too much of a step up for them. Would actually be interesting if they were to win the Botola again and compare with a potential 2014 performance.

But as always, this first game won't tell us much. Auckland as ever have nothing to lose and might cause a surprise.

 

Change of coach again for Raja because Al Jazeera Sports Channel (!) wouldn't let Nabil Maaloul terminate the contract he had with them as an expert at the studio! They have now given Faouzi Benzarti, also a former Tunisian NT and Esperance Tunis coach, the task of leading Raja to a decent result in the CWC.

All these off-field problems at the top of an already weak season domestically, and a coach that got like 5 days to get to know the players before the match doesn't really favor Raja. This episode really reflects the state of Moroccan football in the last couple of years.. Just to complete the joke that Moroccan football has become, i wouldn't be to surprised if a hard-working Auckland City actually got the victory in this match

 

Nottingham Forest FC - 1 English Title - 2 European Cups

J

 

I think a team from the other side of Casablanca would disagree on that, Wydad are just as popular as Raja.
But even though these two clubs are the most popular, i'm pretty sure the local people of Agadir would rather buy tickets to watch Bayern instead of Raja. The spectators will be mostly Raja-fans taking the 4-hour trip down from Casablanca to Agadir, so the intensity will definitely be there.

Auckland City has no injury concerns and the same goes for Raja, so both teams will be playing with their best XI!
Players to watch out for; For Raja the star player is captain Mouhcine Metouali in midfield, with youngster Abdelilah Hafidi at the wing, central defender Mohamed Oulhaj and forward Mouhssine Iajour making up the rest of the players to watch out for.

In Aucklands case, can't say that i know to much about them but if i would take i wild guess some of the interesting players seem to be captain and central defender Ivan Vicelich , former Villareal player Cristobal and Fijian striker Roy Krishna.

I think we're in for a tight and entertaining opening game in this CWC.

 

I found a interesting site where they claim can watch the game online . here is the link
http://121.37.29.33/myzhibobawebser...cheduletitle=Raja Casablanca VS Auckland City

 

I was serious when i said that most of the spectators in the stadium actually came from Casablanca, so i guess the road was jam packed earlier today The Raja fans are really passionate about their team and do travel in their thousands during away games in the league, but since this is something bigger then a normal league game they wouldn't have any trouble getting with them tens of thousands of fans. I would estimate that between 25-30k of the stadium are actually travelling fans

Really bad timing by FIFA, putting the match up at the same time as CL.

 

Football in Oceania seems to have regressed this last cycle. I cannot describe how bad The Nix are in the A-league. And now this...

 

What I said about Raja being unlucky?