Belgium produce another lethargic display as Morocco's World Cup takes off

DOHA, Qatar -- Morocco added to the database of shocks astatine the 2022 World Cup with a celebrated 2-0 win implicit Belgium.

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The North Africans thought they had taken the pb successful first-half wounded time, lone for the VAR to regularisation retired Hakim Ziyech's escaped footwear for offside against Romain Saiss. But second-half strikes from Abdelhamid Sabiri and Zakaria Aboukhlal made definite the points would spell to Morocco.

Belgium present look the anticipation of an aboriginal exit, portion Morocco lone request a constituent to marque the circular of 16.

JUMP TO: Player ratings | Best/worst performers | Highlights and notable moments | Post-match quotes | Key stats | Upcoming fixtures

Rapid Reaction

1. It's clip to interest for Belgium

Just similar 4 days ago, this lucifer was going truthful severely for Belgium that astatine half-time that brag Roberto Martinez had to alteration something. Against Canada, it was immoderate players; against Morocco, it was the tactical system. The Red Devils abandoned their wonky 3-4-2-1, with a hybrid backmost 3 oregon 4, for a much logical 4-2-3-1 with Eden Hazard moving from the near to the centre.

The archetypal fractional was precise mediocre with not capable question oregon shot progression successful midfield. Yet, contempt a flimsy betterment (a changeable from Hazard not agelong aft the interruption and different 1 from Dries Mertens with 25 minutes to go), it again wasn't bully enough.

Martinez made further changes aft an hr with Youri Tielemans and Mertens connected for Amadou Onana and Hazard. The Hazard 1 is understandable due to the fact that erstwhile much the skipper was underwhelming, but the Onana substitution was harder to comprehend. Kevin De Bruyne moved cardinal but helium didn't person overmuch much of an interaction determination either. This is not his World Cup truthful acold and it is simply a existent shame.

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More worryingly, this has not been Belgium's World Cup and determination is simply a precise existent lawsuit for concern. This squad doesn't connection overmuch and it can't conscionable beryllium due to the fact that of Romelu Lukaku's absence. And erstwhile the accustomed saviour, goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, makes a mistake to outgo you a goal, you cognize it's not your day. On Friday, De Bruyne joked that Belgium could not triumph the World Cup due to the fact that they were excessively old. He was wrong. If they don't triumph the World Cup it volition beryllium due to the fact that they person not been bully enough, not due to the fact that of their age. They were fortunate to bushed Canada (1-0) and they tin inactive suffice by beating Croatia connected Thursday. But close now, you would not enactment your location connected it.

2. Morocco fans are unthinkable and got their reward

The Morocco anthem was thing else. One of the champion renditions truthful acold successful this tournament, each teams combined. The Al Thumama Stadium was conscionable afloat of Morocco fans; loud, passionate and truthful anxious to spot their squad bash good that they would roar arsenic soon arsenic 1 of their players approached the box.

All crippled long, they created an unthinkable atmosphere, particularly aft the Sabiri and the Aboukhal goals which made the stadium detonate twice, particularly the 2nd time!

Morocco's players fed disconnected that unthinkable vigor and enactment to play with their hearts. The occupation is that they don't person overmuch else. Despite the endowment of Achraf Hakimi and Ziyech, their 4-3-3 is constricted successful presumption of cohesion from midfield. They inactive trust excessively overmuch connected the Chelsea winger's deliveries and creativity. He did it with a shot for Hakimi conscionable earlier the break, and connected the extremity disallowed for offside against Saiss, and the fantastic power for Sofiane Boufal whose changeable went conscionable wide.

Ziyech can't bash it each connected his ain and it was Sabiri who took implicit to people the opening goal. Their astonishing fans astir apt merit amended shot but for present they volition blessed with this celebrated win, 1 of the top successful the country's past which puts them successful a large presumption to suffice for the circular of 16 with a triumph against Canada.

3. Batshuayi is not up to the task

Lukaku's lack done wounded has been a immense stroke for Belgium and for Martinez. This squad is intelligibly overmuch much effectual with him successful it. He is astir acceptable to commencement aft grooming with the squad for 3 days, but helium spent 30 minutes warming up and came connected for lone the past 10 minutes. But the biggest occupation is that portion helium was out, his replacement was Michy Batshuayi. The Fenerbahce striker scored the winning extremity against Canada, but helium conscionable doesn't connection capable erstwhile his squad has the ball.

Batshuayi is lone trying to tally successful down and adjacent that helium doesn't bash good enough. On Sunday, we hardly saw him. He had an aboriginal accidental that helium missed and helium made a messiness of a decent shot into the container aft the hr mark, but wide his show was poor. He doesn't get progressive successful the buildup play, doesn't amusement for the shot and the Morocco centre-backs recovered it truly casual to nullify the threat. The instrumentality of Lukaku is large quality for Belgium, but it mightiness travel excessively late.

Player ratings

Belgium: Courtois 3, Alderweireld 4, Verthongen 4, Castagne 4, Meunier 4, Onana 4, Witsel 3, T. Hazard 4, De Bruyne 4, E. Hazard 4, Batshuayi 3

Subs: Lukaku 4, Mertens 4, Tielemans 4, De Ketelaere 4, Trossard 4

Morocco: Munir 6, Hakimi 6, Aguerd 7, Saiss 6, Mazraoui 6, Ounahi 5, Amrabat 6, Amallah 5, Ziyech 7, En-Nesyri 5, Boufal 6

Subs: Attiyat-Allah 5, Sabiri 6, El-Yamiq 5, Hamedallah 5, Aboukhal 6

Best and worst performers

BEST: Hakim Ziyech

What a performance! Not everything was cleanable of course, it's ne'er the lawsuit with him, but helium kept trying, kept provoking with the shot and his fantastic near foot, kept looking for a mode of impacting the game. He thought helium scored earlier VAR intervened and helium was rewarded with a large assistance for the 2nd goal.

WORST: Thibaut Courtois

He was the leader aft redeeming a punishment against Canada. This time, helium outgo his squad astatine slightest a constituent against Morocco. His unspeakable mistake connected Sabiri's goal, which went done him, sent the North Africans towards victory. He was saved by the VAR earlier the interruption connected a akin situation, too. Not a bully time astatine all.

Highlights and notable moments

After the match: What the players and managers said

Amadou Onana: "We were successful power of the crippled until they scored. We had a batch of possession, particularly successful the archetypal half. The lone happening missing was the goals. Lukaku's instrumentality is simply a large positive for america now. We request to bushed Croatia, that's each we are focused connected close now."

Selim Amallah: "We are truthful proud. It was a precise affectional triumph contiguous with this unthinkable atmosphere. This triumph is for each the Moroccans astir the world. We person a agreed team, we springiness everything each the time. We won't get carried away, though. We inactive person 1 much crippled to suffice but we are successful a large position."

Key stats (provided by ESPN Stats & Information)

This was Morocco's archetypal triumph astatine the World Cup since beating Scotland successful the 1998 radical stage.

It was Belgium archetypal nonaccomplishment against an African squad astatine the World Cup, having won 3 and drawn 1 earlier this game.

The archetypal extremity was the archetypal nonstop free-kick that Courtois has conceded successful a competitory lucifer with Belgium since 2013 vs Serbia (Aleksandar Kolarov); Sabiri's free-kick was Morocco's archetypal successful their World Cup history.

Up next

Belgium: Martinez indispensable prime his squad up to instrumentality connected Croatia successful the last radical crippled connected Thursday, but helium knows that a triumph volition decidedly nonstop his squad through.

Morocco: It's Canada for the North Africans connected Thursday, and they lone request a constituent to unafraid a spot successful the circular of 16.