Morocco’s win places Belgium in tough spot
Morocco pulled off yet another World Cup shock on Sunday, and Belgium’s aging “Golden Generation” took the hit this time.
The 2-0 upset in Group F play in Doha, Qatar, left Kevin de Bruyne and the 2018 semifinalists in peril of a group-stage exit.
De Bruyne didn’t drive Belgium forward against Morocco, captain Eden Hazard was taken off after an hour, and goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois was probably at fault for the opening goal.
“We haven’t seen the best Belgium yet,” said Roberto Martinez, a Spaniard who has coached the team for six years. “We haven’t been ourselves.”
Morocco captain Romain Saiss gave his team the lead with a barely noticeable deflection off his hip after a free kick from Abdelhamid Sabiri in the 73rd minute that got under the body of Courtois — for many, the best goalkeeper in the world.
Zakaria Aboukhlal guided a shot into the roof of the net off a pass from Hakim Ziyech in stoppage time to make it 2-0 as Belgium’s defense, boasting more than 300 international appearances but anchored by two players in their mid-30s, was beaten by a speedy 22-year-old forward playing at his first World Cup.
Morocco’s players kneeled and pressed their heads to the ground in prayer, then leaped up in celebration. Pulling himself up from the ground, Courtois shook his head.
Morocco, which was cheered on by thunderous noise from its fans at Al Thumama Stadium, had started in Qatar with a 0-0 draw with Croatia.
“We are delighted with that after Croatia and Belgium,” Morocco coach Walid Regragui said. “That’s absolutely outstanding for Morocco.”
Belgium, ranked No. 2 in the world behind Brazil, had won its previous seven group games at the World Cup before its loss, but that run included a labored 1-0 win over Canada to open this year’s tournament.
Morocco has been past the group stage once at a World Cup, in 1986. And things were in turmoil ahead of the tournament after former coach Vahid Halilhodzic was fired and Regragui was brought in at the end of August, less than three months before the World Cup. Regragui had only three friendlies to make his mark on the team before facing Croatia at the World Cup.
Germany 1, Spain 1: Substitute Niclas Füllkrug scored in the 83rd minute to give Germany a draw against Spain at Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor, Qatar, in one of the most anticipated matches of this year’s World Cup. A loss would not have eliminated Germany, but it would have left the team in a much more difficult position.
Only a win for Germany in its Group E final will give the fourtime World Cup champions a chance to avoid a second straight early elimination.
“It was important that we got this point,” Füllkrug said. “We definitely have a chance to get through to the next round now. We can now go into the last game with a good feeling and hope that everything goes well.”
Álvaro Morata put Spain in the lead in the 62nd minute with a nice one-touch from close range after a low cross from Jordi Alba.
Croatia 4, Canada 1: In a Group F match in Al Rayyan, Qatar, Andrej Kramaric scored twice as Croatia crushed Canada’s hopes of advancing at its first World Cup in 36 years.
Alphonso Davies scored Canada’s first-ever World Cup goal seconds into the match but the team’s trip to soccer’s biggest tournament will end on Thursday against Morocco.
Marko Livaja and Lovro Majer also scored for Croatia, the runner-up to France at the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
Costa Rica 1, Japan 0: Keysher Fuller scored in the 81st minute to lift Costa Rica over Japan in Al Rayyan, leaving both teams with three points in Group E.
Fuller took advantage of a defensive error when Japan failed to clear the ball and hit the net from 18 meters just off the fingertips of leaping Japan goalkeeper Shuichi Gonda.
The match at Ahmad Bin Ali stadium was tactical and largely lackluster, particularly in a first half that did not yield a single shot on goal.