Kharja: "still we go to the world"

The last FIFA World Cup TM in which participated Morocco was in 1998, their third finals in 12 years. In that Edition, when the Lions of the Atlas were already in the second round, two goals from Norway to Brazil in the last seven minutes put an end to his dream. Now, there is nothing that crave more than return to the World Cup event in 2014 Brazil. And no player is more determined to achieve this than his captain, Houssine Kharja, who is performing at a high level in their third qualifying campaign with the Maghreb box.

After two days of preliminary competition, Morocco adds two draws, and obviously Kharja, of 29 years and author of a goal in every one of these matches, is working to the maximum so that your computer can aspire to the top of the group. "My career as a footballer in Europe is still acceptable", says the player, born in France, and which was formed in the PSG, before you make the jump to Italy, where it currently competes with the Fiorentina. "But on the personal level, I feel a great frustration with the selection, because I've never had the opportunity to play in the world and win the African Cup of Nations". I have many ambitions with my country. "What most Miss is having failed never nothing great with Morocco."

Two crucial goals
After the disappointment of 1998, Moroccans came to touch the two final stages following qualification. In Korea/Japan 2002 preliminary competition, goal difference placed them behind Senegal, revelation of the tournament, and Germany 2006 Road left to escape on the last day the advantage they had over Tunisia, when a victory would have given them the pass. In 2010, they have experienced a slump and were the last of their group matches, with a meager record of three draws in six games. Now there is fear that this campaign follow a pattern similar to that: the team is the third group c after draw with the Gambia at home and before Ivory Coast at home. Not been by the Kharja goals, you would find in a more complicated position if possible.

In Bakau, the midfielder signed both the tie of their own in the 76th minute. Then, in Marrakech, elephants were ahead twice and Kharja equalised from the criminal point shortly before the break. It is not the first time that mark important goals for his country, and he himself considers it an obligation. "I'm the captain and I have to lead by example." I try to upload to the area as much as possible, and bring some positive aggression. We are often missing players in the area, because in our scheme, we use a single striker. Even so, I would prefer not to mark and Morocco won all parties! "."

Kharja points out that, in those two matches of classification, several individual decisions paid very expensive. "We need to reinforce the defense." "We were forced to go". However, he sees positives in both crashes. "You must stay with the team spirit that we exhibit." We could lose the two, but we strive and start a tie. "This demonstrates that the selection is not never filed and the players fighting to the last breath".

No margin of error
Kharja is convinced that the Lions of the Atlas can still be classified. "We still have options." "The next match [in Tanzania] will be in March 2013, leaving us time enough to retrieve several injured who could not play against Ivory Coast". However, supports eliminating the Ivorian is a challenge for anyone. "It is the number one African team, we are aware of their strength." It can be that the names of its stars them impressed our younger players before the match, but when start the ball rolling will be eleven against eleven. The tie we against them keeps us alive, but now we do not have any wildcard. "It depends on us the points that are in play and hope that we can go to Abidjan and there seal ticket to Brazil".

The captain explains that the team is deploying a good football under the orders of Eric Gerets, who took charge of the national team in 2010 and has remained in place despite the elimination in the first round of the African Cup of Nations earlier this year. "I think he has done a good job." You have to be patient. In Morocco, each time that we lose one or two games, people are asking a coaching change. In football you need stability. I've always been against the changes, they provide nothing. "I'm in favor of keeping the coach, because he is doing a good job and we can still go to the world."