World Cup 2018: 3 key battles that decided the Morocco versus Iran game

#3 Nordin Amrabat vs Karim Ansarifard

Amrabat was pivotal for Morocco till his injury

Nordin Amrabat was the best player on the pitch until the 75th minute, when he suffered a foul and got a concussion that ensured he had to be taken off the game to prevent further damage.

Operating from the right as a full-back, he was the essential part of every Moroccan attack and was just behind Ziyech at all times to help out. Once he was taken out, there was a huge space on the right, and it is no coincidence that the resulting free-kick came where he would have been .

To his credit, Ansarifard was just as good, as the two had repeated showdowns in the middle of the pitch.

Ansarifard was also great in the air as he won a 3 aerial duels for his team. While his defensive duties were not as pronounced, he was more than a handful when attacking.

Amrabat vs Ansarifard - stats