FIFA World Cup: Morocco's attacking changes make them stronger force than four years ago

ATLANTA, June 30 (Reuters) - Morocco again pulled off a stunning World Cup win in eliminating the Netherlands on Monday to continue their giant-killing run of four years ago, but the team is much changed under new coach Mohamed Ouahbi with a different approach to winning.

Morocco knocked out the Dutch in Monterrey on penalties and will have high hopes of emulating, or bettering, their heroics at the 2022 Qatar World Cup, where they became the first Arab and African country to reach the semi-finals.

New coach Mohamed Ouahbi, who is Belgian-born but of Moroccan descent, has rapidly put his own stamp on the side only months after taking over from Walid Regragui.

In Qatar four years ago, Regragui was also a recent appointment and built his foundation on rock-solid defence and counter-attack options, beating Spain and Portugal in the knockout stages to break new ground for Moroccan football.

But under Ouahbi at this World Cup, Morocco have a high defensive block and aggressive pressing style, taking the game to the opponents and imposing themselves with a possession-based brand of football that brought a deserved victory over the Dutch.

MOROCCO THE BETTER TEAM

They were also the better team in their opening World Cup game against Brazil in New York, which ended in a 1-1 draw, and beat Scotland in Boston.

A patient Ouahbi has had to, however, deal with pointed questions from Moroccan reporters displeased that their side only scored twice in two games after playing without a traditional centre forward.

The Morocco coach has instead opted for a false nine system built around 25-year-old Ismael Saibari, who likes to drop deep or wide but also gets into scoring position. He netted in each of the three Group C matches and had chances for more goals against the Netherlands in Monterrey before converting the decisive penalty in the shootout to see Morocco through to meet Canada in Houston in the last 16 on Saturday.

The coach is also a risk-taker, throwing the 18-year-old Ayyoub Bouaddi into the key defensive midfield role weeks after the teenager switched his international allegiance from France. Ouahbi also included in the squad players who had been part of the side he coached to Under-20 World Cup success last year.

"Nobody can stop us if we play the football we know how to play," he said on Monday. "But nobody is unbeatable. If we get things wrong, we'll go home," he warned.