2 hours ago
Morocco confirmed their advancement to nan World Cup past 32 but doubly had to come from down to get nan amended of plucky Haiti 4-2 successful an action-packed crippled connected Wednesday, and fell short of topping Brazil successful nan Group C standings.
Morocco vanished level connected 7 points pinch the five-time world champions, who hit Scotland 3-0, but are runners-up connected extremity quality and will play nan Group F winners – either Japan, nan Netherlands aliases Sweden – connected Monday successful nan first knockout round.
Haiti, nan first broadside eliminated from nan 48-team tourney aft losing their 2nd group game, went up early but African footballer of nan year Achraf Hakimi equalised successful nan 39th minute.
Wilson Isidor’s thunderbolt restored Haiti’s lead successful nan 43rd minute but matters were soon level again arsenic Ismael Saibari scored his 3rd extremity successful arsenic galore World Cup appearances.
It took until nan 78th infinitesimal for Morocco to spell up erstwhile substitute Soufiane Rahimi thrashed location from adjacent scope aft Haiti grounded to clear a area and 20-year-old Gessime Yassine made it 4-2 successful nan past minute.
Haiti had only pridefulness to play for but made Morocco activity for their triumph and contempt losing each 3 games astatine nan tourney – their first successful 52 years – will depart pinch their estimation enhanced.
With vociferous support consenting them forward, Haiti opened nan scoring aft 10 minutes arsenic Josué Casimir calmly shielded nan ball, waiting for Jean-Kévin Duverne to support him connected nan helping and transportation it into nan container earlier a quadrate walk was audaciously backheeled goalwards by Lenny Joseph.
The extremity was initially awarded to nan Haiti striker moreover though his effort looked to beryllium going wide, deflecting successful disconnected nan backmost of Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, but it was later changed to go yet different ain extremity successful this tournament.
Haiti’s 38-year-old goalkeeper Johny Placide, playing his past world aft 15 years successful nan team, produced a bid of crisp saves to doubly contradict Ayoub El Kaabi and Hakimi. But erstwhile he parried Bilal El Khannouss’s transverse successful nan 39th minute, Hakimi was quickest to bundle it complete nan line for nan equaliser.
Duverne group up Isidor for his rasping onslaught from extracurricular nan area to put Haiti up again.
Morocco’s consequence was overmuch quicker the 2nd time, pinch Sofyan Amrabat mounting Hakimi disconnected down nan correct flank and the skipper dragging nan shot backmost for Saibari to slot home.
Haiti’s defences were yet breached from a set-piece though they protested vehemently for a foul aft Rahimi had controlled nan shot earlier turning and slamming home. Rahimi group up Yassine for a tap-in aft Haiti’s defenders stopped playing, believing nan shot had gone retired of play, but VAR confirmed nan goal.
