Late Morocco goals seal stunning win over Belgium
Morocco caused the latest shock at a World Cup that has been full of surprises by beating Belgium thanks to late goals by Abdelhamid Sabiri and Zakaria Aboukhlal.
Belgium keeper Thibaut Courtois was at fault for the first goal, inexplicably allowing Sabiri’s inswinging free-kick to beat him at his near post with 17 minutes to go.
But the whole Belgium side paid the price for a ponderous performance, with Morocco capping a magnificent second-half display when Aboukhlal fired Hakim Ziyech’s cutback into the roof of the net in stoppage time.
That sparked wild celebrations in the stands of Al Thumama Stadium from thousands of Morocco fans, who had created a raucous atmosphere from the start.
The result means Morocco move above Belgium to the top of Group F on four points, with Croatia and Canada meeting later on Sunday (16:00 GMT kick-off).
More to follow.
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Belgium
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Squad number1Player nameCourtois
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Squad number15Player nameMeunier
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Squad number2Player nameAlderweireld
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Squad number5Player nameVertonghen
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Squad number21Player nameCastagne
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Squad number18Player nameOnana
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Squad number6Player nameWitsel
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Squad number7Player nameDe Bruyne
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Squad number10Player nameE Hazard
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Squad number16Player nameT Hazard
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Squad number23Player nameBatshuayi
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Squad number8Player nameTielemans
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Squad number9Player nameLukaku
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Squad number14Player nameMertens
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Squad number17Player nameTrossard
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Squad number22Player nameDe Ketelaere
Morocco
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Squad number12Player nameMohamedi
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Squad number2Player nameHakimi
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Squad number5Player nameAguerd
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Squad number6Player nameSaïss
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Squad number3Player nameMazraoui
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Squad number8Player nameOunahi
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Squad number4Player nameS Amrabat
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Squad number15Player nameAmallah
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Squad number7Player nameZiyech
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Squad number19Player nameEn-Nesyri
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Squad number17Player nameBoufal
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Squad number9Player nameHamdallah
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Squad number11Player nameSabiri
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Squad number14Player nameAboukhlal
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Squad number18Player nameEl Yamiq
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Squad number25Player nameAttiat-Allah
Line-ups
Belgium
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Courtois
- 15MeunierSubstituted forLukakuat 81′minutes
- 2Alderweireld
- 5Vertonghen
- 21Castagne
- 18OnanaBooked at 29minsSubstituted forTielemansat 60′minutes
- 6Witsel
- 7De Bruyne
- 10E HazardSubstituted forMertensat 61′minutes
- 16T HazardSubstituted forTrossardat 74′minutes
- 23BatshuayiSubstituted forDe Ketelaereat 75′minutes
Substitutes
- 3Theate
- 4Faes
- 8Tielemans
- 9Lukaku
- 11Carrasco
- 12Mignolet
- 13Casteels
- 14Mertens
- 17Trossard
- 19Dendoncker
- 20Vanaken
- 22De Ketelaere
- 24Openda
- 25Doku
- 26Debast
Morocco
Formation 4-3-3
- 12Mohamedi
- 2HakimiSubstituted forAttiat-Allahat 68′minutes
- 5Aguerd
- 6Saïss
- 3Mazraoui
- 8OunahiSubstituted forEl Yamiqat 78′minutes
- 4S Amrabat
- 15AmallahSubstituted forSabiriat 68′minutesBooked at 90mins
- 7Ziyech
- 19En-NesyriSubstituted forHamdallahat 73′minutes
- 17BoufalSubstituted forAboukhlalat 73′minutes
Substitutes
- 9Hamdallah
- 10Zaroury
- 11Sabiri
- 13Chair
- 14Aboukhlal
- 16Ezzalzouli
- 18El Yamiq
- 20Dari
- 21Cheddira
- 22Tagnaouti
- 23El Khannouss
- 24Benoun
- 25Attiat-Allah
- 26Jabrane
- Referee:
- César Arturo Ramos Palazuelos
- Attendance:
- 43,738
Live Text
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Match ends, Belgium 0, Morocco 2.
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Second Half ends, Belgium 0, Morocco 2.
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Abdelhamid Sabiri (Morocco) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Jan Vertonghen (Belgium) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Abdelhamid Sabiri (Morocco).
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Offside, Morocco. Hakim Ziyech tries a through ball, but Sofyan Amrabat is caught offside.
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Goal! Belgium 0, Morocco 2. Zakaria Aboukhlal (Morocco) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the top right corner. Assisted by Hakim Ziyech.
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Corner, Morocco. Conceded by Thibaut Courtois.
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Attempt saved. Abderrazak Hamdallah (Morocco) left footed shot from a difficult angle on the left is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Abdelhamid Sabiri.
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Charles De Ketelaere (Belgium) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Abdelhamid Sabiri (Morocco).
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Foul by Axel Witsel (Belgium).
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Hakim Ziyech (Morocco) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Attempt missed. Jan Vertonghen (Belgium) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Dries Mertens with a cross following a corner.
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Corner, Belgium. Conceded by Yahya Attiat-Allah.
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Substitution, Belgium. Romelu Lukaku replaces Thomas Meunier.
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Axel Witsel (Belgium) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Hakim Ziyech (Morocco).
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Jan Vertonghen (Belgium) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Abderrazak Hamdallah (Morocco).
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