The Atlas Lions of Morocco defeated Canada 2-1 to finish top of Group F in Thursday’s Qatar 2022 World Cup game.
This is the first time the North Africans have qualified for the round of 16 since Mexico 1986.
First half goals from Hakim Ziyech and Youssef En-Nesyri gave Morocco a deserved 2-0 lead before an own goal by Nayef Aguerd reduced the deficit.
Morocco took the lead in the 4th minute through Ziyech who lopped the Canadian keeper after the North American shot stopper’s poor clearance.
In the 23rd minute En-Nesyri doubled Morocco’s lead after he ran on to a long pass from Achraf Hakimi and volleyed past the Canadian keeper.
With five minutes left Canada pulled a goal back thanks to an own goal by Aguerd who diverted Sam Adekugbe’s low cross from the left past his keeper and into the net.
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In first half stoppage time En-Nesyri had the ball in the back of the net off a set piece by Ziyech but the goal was chalked off for offside.
The Canadians threw everything in the second half but could not break down a resolute Moroccan side who held on to advance.
And in the group’s other fixture, Belgium crashed out after playing a goalless draw with Croatia.
Belgium had a lucky escape in the first half after a penalty decision was later overturned by the referee after consultations with VAR.
Romelu Lukaku, who came on in the second half, could have won it for the Belgians but was guilty of unpardonable misses.
Lukaku had the chance to put Belgium ahead after Yannick Carrasco’s effort was block, but the Inter striker saw his shot hit the post.
He was presented with another opportunity off a cross with an open net in front of him but chested the ball back to the recovering Croatian keeper.
Again he missed what would have been the opener as he failed to divert a cross towards goal from close range.
The last time Belgium failed to make it out of the group stage was at France 1998 World Cup.
And at the end of the group games, Morocco finished on seven points, Croatia on five, Belgium got four while Canada did not get any point.
14 Comments
The idea that Mighty Belgium would not make it out of their group would have been laughed at 2 weeks ago.
Well said Brodaman Pompei.
BELGIUM out?
It’s really a SHOCKER!
Belgium golden generation as ended with with nothing to show. . I don’t see lukaku , debrun et al in the next world cup. For Morroco , Ghana , Tunisia , Senegal and Cameron who all went out with their local coaches and are making Africa proud a say a big congrats . It’s now time for the giant of Africa to learn from this paradigm. Wen we say give a local coach who understand how Nigerians feel about football we do not mean just any one on the street but a Nigerian coach with international exposure. For example the Ghanaian coach Ado is an assistance coach at Dortmond. Thats what we mean. It will be a big shame if Nigeria with a population of over 300m cannot produce an indigenous coach with such pedigree. Sia1 fit in very well with little refresher courses but unfortunately he as been ban. Another Coach we can bring in is Agbo who is coaching a club in Switzerland. Even Sunday Oliseh can be given another look in . Let the era of foreign coaches end in Nigeria abeg.
@Four four two, Otto Addo has a heavy German accent born and grew up in Germany he is a player as we would classify of dual nationality, the moroccan coach also brought his top leg back Hakim Ziyech something Nigeria failed to do with Vitcor Moses for Ghana Knockouts (one of the reasons we lacked cutting edge) instead we chose tribalisim inflicted by the coach and Pinnick to retain Musa as captain and Ighalo (Pinnick specially flew to arabia to convince him) when in actual fact Nigeria’s most decisive attacker in the last 10 years is Victor Moses. Otto Addo said NO to Asamoah Gyan and Sulley Muntari instead he tried to and brought some of Ghana’s best dual Nationality exports and mixed them with the Top young International Ghana players like Kudus and co.. and some experienced legs that are still relevant and have fight. that is why Ghana is succeeding. So No the answer is not Local coaches in Nigeria. the answer to Nigeria is realising your priorities cutting out Quota system being humble when courting our Dual National players (NOT LIKE WHAT PINNICK DID WITH SAKA BUKAYO).. Nigeria needs to realise that humility is key and local coaches and NPFL players are not the answer and Players like Ahmed musa need to be done away with for GOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!
“Tribalisim inflicted by he President of the Republic NOt Coach *TYPO*”
WITH THE IMPROVE PERFORMANCE OF AFRICA TEAMS IN QATAR WORLD CUP, THE NEXT WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS WILL BE VERY TOUGH FOR NIGERIA TO QUALIFY DUE TO SUPER EAGLE PLAYERS ATTITUDE THAT ALWAYS LIKE TO PLAY LIKE CHICKEN ON THE FIELD.
And I can beat my chest that the qualifiers would even become zonal just as the underage ones have become so that CAF president’s zone might produce a qualifier.
If they are going to do it zonal then club competitions should be zonal too so that these north African and south African teams can feel the heat too. Our problem is that pinnick is still in CAF. He thinks about himself alone and not about Nigeria
The fact that CAF does not zone club competition should tell you their motives against West Africa. But who will fight this battle for this region???
They also zoned female competition so that Ghana and Nigeria female teams will crush each other, and present only one rep from the region that they will easily wipe out with one bad officiating.
It might be different being that there will be 40 teams at the next Mundial. Who knows, maybe Africa will get 2 more slots which should make it almost impossible for us not to qualify. But again, we know how to lose from winning so we shall all stay tuned
Anyway, when did this Morocco coach take over the squad? August ending and he just crushed history. Someone after 5 years handed over names of a team without squad to a football mad nation. If that isn’t cruel, what is?
Not only in Qatar world cup that Africa team improved, there are some others Africa countries that are also improved locally. E.g. COMOROS, GAMBIA, EQUATORIAL-GUINEA, CENTRAL AFRICA REPUBLIC E.T.C. which I believe Super eagle will find it difficult to beat them convincingly due to the attitude of our players that always like to play like chicken on the field.
IF SUPER EAGLE PLAYERS WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN NEXT WORLD CUP, THEY SHOULD ALWAYS PLAYING THEIR OPPONENTS WITH FULL COMMITMENT & DETERMINATION, They should stop playing like chicken on field again.