Moroccan Tarik Bendamou celebrates his winner against Chile. Alex Morton ACTION IMAGES  
  
A goal in first half injury-time from Tarik Bendamou saw Morocco edge out Chile in their final match of Group C of the FIFA World Youth Championship Netherlands 2005 on 17 June at the Galgenwaard Stadium in Utrecht. The win secured the Africans a spot in the last sixteen as second finishers behind Spain. Chile will have to wait to see if their third place finish is enough.  
  
Winning coach Jamal Fathi attributed the hard-fought victory to the morale of his players and, with a spot of last 16 in the bag, he set his sights on the knockout stage. "The group stage is over and now we will see how far we can go in this tournament." 
  
With a place at the last 16 on the line, the atmosphere was predictably excitable. It was the Moroccans who filled most of the stadium, chanting incessantly and the African players were roared forward into action with dangerous breaks down both flanks. 
  
Sofian Benzouien joined up with Nabil El Zhar on the left after only three minutes to see the Raja Club Athletic forward cross into the area. Mouhssine Iajour rose but failed to get his head to the ball before a lurking Tarik Bendamou fired in a half-volley which was gathered by keeper Jose Rosales. 
  
Morocco should have taken the lead after eight minutes when a long ball into the area found Mouhssine Iajour, top scorer of 2005 Africa Youth Championship, but his chip dropped just over the bar. 
  
It was understandable that Chile seemed a little shell-shocked after their 7-0 demolition against Spain and they looked slower than their determined surging rivals. The South Americans were pinned in their own half for much of the first period and even when they did break, they made little impression on a resolute Moroccan defence. 
  
Adil Chihi did capitalize on a rare Morocco defensive error in the 22nd minute, weaving into the area, but sandwiched by a pair defenders, he couldn't find a way through.  
  
Nabil El Zhar proudly carries the Moroccan flag to his fans after the 1-0 win over Chile. (PRO SHOTS) Jasper Ruhe  
  
A respite followed after the half an hour mark, but the tempo was suddenly upped in the closing minutes of the first half with Morocco creating three dangerous chances in the space of as many minutes. Firstly, Iajour missed a cross from Benzouien, then El Ahmad got onto the end of a corner but his header flashed over. With one minute from break, a surging Iajour looked unstoppable coming in from the left, but he shot at the keeper from just inside the area. 
  
Just as the opening half looked like ending goalless, Morocco broke the stalemate through Tarik Bendamou. Adil picked up a pass on the edge of the area but he delayed too long and saw his shot blocked. The clearance fell into the path of Bendamou on the left, who unleashed a blistering shot which deceived Chile keeper Jose Rosales. (1:0, 47') 
  
A goal down, coach Jose Sulantay's men pressed hard for an equalizer after the interval. They emerged from the dressing room a different team and gained a stranglehold on the midfield area. 
  
Just after the hour mark, after a wall-pass, Nicolas Canales went over in the Morocco box but the referee waved play on. Only three minutes later, Jose Fuenzalida put in an inviting cross towards the edge of the 6-yard box, but the Morocco keeper Mohammed Bourkadi gathered safely before colliding with a defender. 
  
With time ticking towards the close, the desperate Chileans threw everything forward but Morocco held out, securing their 1-0 victory. 
  
Chile coach Jose Sulantay could hardly conceal his disappointment after the match. "We had made a lot of preparation for this tournament including a worldwide tour. It is a pity we lost the match even if we played very well, but that is football."