South Korea v Morocco: Women’s World Cup 2023 Group H – live

Casey Phair made the headlines in round one when the American-born Korean became the youngest player to feature at a Women’s World Cup. She will be eager to gain more experience off the bench today.

It’s a mild winter’s day in Adelaide but a stiff northwesterly breeze will make for tricky playing conditions, and it may also blow a shower or two through the City of Churches. Despite the weather, the players should at least enjoy Hindmarsh Stadium, a well-proportioned football-first venue praised consistently by Australia’s professional footballers. Crowds of around 13,000 have already witnessed victories to Brazil and China already this tournament.

We’re under half-an-hour from kick-off, which gives you just enough time to catch up on the latest Women’s Football Weekly podcast.

If you want to get up to speed on today’s squads, you’ve come to the right place.

It will be an historic occasion for women’s football today with the recalled Nouhaila Benzina becoming the first player to appear at the World Cup wearing hijab. The rule to allow the headcovering was made in 2014, and nine years later the Moroccan defender will be the first to make use of it.

Changes for Reynald Pedros as well with Nouhaila Benzina and Nesryne El Chad coming into defence, Salma Amani into midfield, and Ibtissam Jraidi in attack. 4-4-1-1 for the Atlas Lionesses.

Colin Bell has made three changes to the side that lost to Colombia. 38-year-old Jung-Mi Kim takes her place between the sticks following Young-Geul Yoon’s howler against in round one. Elsewhere, Hye-Ji Hong slots into defence and Eun-Sun Park bolsters the attack. It looks like a 3-5-2 set-up, with Brighton’s Geum-Min Lee the only member of the starting XI not playing club football in Korea.

Hello everybody and welcome to live coverage of South Korea v Morocco from Hindmarsh Stadium in Adelaide. Kick-off in Match 32 of World Cup 2023 is 2pm local time / 2.30pm AEST / 5.30 am BST.

Korea, ranked 17th in the world, and runners-up at the most recent Asian Cup, arrive desperate for a win to keep their hopes of reaching the knockout phase alive. They were undone 2-0 by an effervescent Colombia in their opening encounter, and with Germany to come, they dare not leave Adelaide without three points.

Expectations are lower for Morocco. Ranked 76th in the world when the draw was made, the Atlas Lionesses qualified as runners-up in the 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations. On World Cup debut, they were handed a lesson by an in-form Germany, going down 6-0 in Melbourne. They haven’t won a match or scored a goal in their last six international fixtures.

I’ll be back with team news and insights from the two camps shortly. If you want to get in touch at any point you can always send me an email.