U17 World Cup: Japan vs Morocco Preview
Today marks the opening match of Group B at the 2025 FIFA U17 World Cup in Doha, Qatar, featuring Japan against Morocco. Both teams aim to start their campaigns strongly.
Match Details
- Competition: 2025 FIFA U17 World Cup – Group B Matchday 1
- Venue: Aspire Zone – Pitch 5 stadium, Doha, Qatar
- Referee: Andrea Colombo (Italy)
- Broadcast: Arriyadia TNT, FIFA+
Japan Team Overview
Japan enters this tournament with confidence after a 4-0 win against Australia in a recent friendly. Their best performances in the U17 World Cup were reaching the quarterfinals in 1993 and 2011.
Key players to watch include:
- Maki Kitahara (FC Tokyo) – a midfielder known for his attacking play and precision passing.
- Hiroto Asada (Yokohama F. Marinos) – Japan’s main attacking threat who scored against Morocco in their last June encounter.
Morocco Team Overview
Morocco enters on a high note, having won two U17 warm-up matches 2-0 against Switzerland and 4-3 against Uzbekistan. Their strongest U17 World Cup showing came in 2023 when they reached the quarter-finals.
Key Moroccan players include:
- Abdellah Ouazzane (Ajax Youth) – a standout midfielder after an impressive U17 Africa Cup of Nations run.
- Ziyad Baha (Calavera CF U19) – expected to lead Morocco’s attack in this match.
"Nabil Baha’s team will seek to start their tournament with a win and confirm their recent positive results, most notably their U17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title earlier this year."
"The Moroccan side won both U-17 preparation games 2-0 and 4-3 versus Switzerland and Uzbekistan, respectively."
Fans can look forward to an exciting contest as both teams bring momentum and strong lineups to the field.
Author's summary: Japan and Morocco, both strong U17 sides with recent successes, face off in Doha's Group B opener at the 2025 FIFA U17 World Cup.