WORLD CUP USA ’94 / THE FIRST ROUND : TODAY’S GAMES AT A GLANCE
GROUP F
at Giants Stadium, E. Rutherford, N.J.
Morocco vs. Saudi Arabia
* TIME: 9:30 a.m. PDT.
* TV: ESPN.
* KEY MATCHUPS: In what could be an offensive showdown between teams with little to lose, the most interesting duel matches Moroccan forward Mohamed Chaouch and Saudi goalkeeper Muhammad Al Deayea. Chaouch hit the crossbar twice in Morocco’s 1-0 loss to Belgium in the opener. Al Deayea was splendid in goal for the first 86 minutes of the Saudis’ first-round game against the Netherlands. But then he sprinted 10 yards out and attempted to intercept a Dutch header. He missed the ball, and Taument headed it into an open net to give the Netherlands a 2-1 victory.
* OUTLOOK: The winner of this game between 0-1 teams will have a chance to advance to the second round. If they tie, both probably are finished. By not trailing the powerful Dutch until the final minutes, the Saudis feel they gained the international respect they were seeking at their first World Cup. The Moroccans, however, are not satisfied. After outplaying the Belgians before losing, they are convinced they are good enough to keep playing. They feel victory here is essential and undoubtedly will perform like it.
* OUTCOME: The Saudis will win the affection of the crowd, as they did in Washington, with their unusual politeness. This will not disguise, however, the fact that they are sorely overmatched and will get hammered. Morocco by at least two.
