An at-times chaotic 90 minutes at the Al-Thumama Stadium on Thursday evening ultimately saw Morocco get the better of a plucky Canada outfit, by two goals to one.
Morocco needed just a point to ensure qualification, but were gifted an opening goal after four minutes when goalkeeper Milan Borjan took a heavy touch and allowed Hakim Ziyech to lift into an empty net from 30 yards out.
Oh no, Milan Borjan! 😬
A stinker from the Canada goalkeeper and Morocco’s Hakim Ziyech takes full advantage.
It’s bad news for Belgium!
🖥📱💻 Watch on @BBCTwo and @BBCiPlayer, plus follow on @BBCSounds and via the @BBCSport app #BBCWorldCup #BBCFootball pic.twitter.com/OU75ISxvdH
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) December 1, 2022
Midway through the first half, they doubled their lead against a shambolic Canada side, with Youssef En Nesyri running behind the Canadian defence to fire home his first goal of the tournament.
Canada halved that deficit five minutes from half time, however, when a cross from the left hand side was turned into his own net by a stretching Nayef Aguerd, taking the record of both the 100th goal of the tournament and the first own goal so far, and handing Canada a potential lifeline back into the game.
The African side thought that they had restored their two goal advantage when En-Nesyri fired home for a free kick, but VAR ruled it out for a perceived offside, leaving Canada trailing by just one heading into the interval.
Morocco denied a third for offside ❌
Right decision to rule this one out against Canada?
🖥📱💻 Watch on @BBCTwo and @BBCiPlayer, plus follow on @BBCSounds and via the @BBCSport app #BBCWorldCup #BBCFootball
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) December 1, 2022
And so we headed into the 2nd-half amid tense scenes in Al Thumuma, with Morocco eyeing shock group winner status, and Canada hopeful of restoring some pride courtesy of a first point of the tournament.
When all was said and done, though, only one could have their way, with Morocco having ultimately held out, to march on as Group F’s finest ahead of both Croatia and the eliminated Belgium.
📰 Table Of Contents
Player ratings
Canada
- GK: Milan Borjan (4)
- CB: Alistair Johnston (5)
- CB: Steven Vitória (5)
- CB: Kamal Miller (5.5)
- RM: Sam Adekugbe (5)
- CM: Anthony Kaye (4.5)
- CM: Jonathan Osorio (4.5)
- LM: Alphonso Davies (6.5)
- RW: Tajon Buchanan (4.5)
- ST: Cyle Larin (5.5)
- LW: Junior Hoilett (7)
Substitutes:
Atiba Hutchinson (6.5), Ismael Kone – (5), Jonathan David – (5.5), Richie Laryea – (5.5), David Wotherspoon – (5)
Morocco
- GK: Yassine Bounou (5)
- RB: Achraf Hakimi (7.5)
- CB: Romain Saïss (6)
- CB: Nayef Aguerd (5.5)
- LB: Noussair Mazraoui (6)
- CM; Azzedine Ounahi (6)
- CM: Sofyan Amrabat (6.5)
- CM: Abdelhamid Sabiri (6)
- RW: Hakim Ziyech (8)
- ST: Sofiane Boufal (6.5)
- LW: Youssef En-Nesyri (7)
Substitutes:
Zakaria Aboukhlal (5), Selim Amallah (5.5), Abderazak Hamdallah (5), Jawad El Yamiq (6), Yahya Jabrane (5)
Key Stats
🇨🇦 No player in Group F has created more chances than Alphonso Davies
🇲🇦 No player in Group F has made more tackles at the World Cup than Achraf Hakimi
We just want to see a race between these two. 💨@midnite | #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/sqn81INURc
— Squawka (@Squawka) December 1, 2022
Achraf Hakimi’s first half by numbers vs. Canada:
88% pass accuracy
46 touches
28 passes completed
3/4 ground duels won
2 tackles won
1/1 cross completed
1 key pass
1 assistGood ball down the channel. 💫 pic.twitter.com/U3dv9br8Wv
— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) December 1, 2022
Who likes a stat alert ? With Morocco leading 2-0 and Belgium/Croatia 0-0….. the next goal will be the 100th of #WorldCup2022
— Ian Dennis (@Iandennisbbc) December 1, 2022
Only two African nations have topped their group at multiple World Cups:
🇳🇬 Nigeria (1994, 1998)
🇲🇦 Morocco (1986, 2022)The Atlas Lions join the Super Eagles. pic.twitter.com/xcI6Rup2xj
— Squawka (@Squawka) December 1, 2022
▪️ Retires from 🇲🇦 after falling out with the manager
▪️ Accepts call-up from new head coach Walid Regragui
▪️ Drops a Man of the Match display vs 🇧🇪
▪️ Helps 🇲🇦 qualify for the World Cup KO stage for the first time since 1986
A rollercoaster ride for Hakim Ziyech in 2022.🎢
— William Hill (@WilliamHill) December 1, 2022
6 – Canada have lost all six of their matches at the World Cup – the joint-worst 100% losing record in the competition along with El Salvador. Exit. pic.twitter.com/KvrnKC19jo
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) December 1, 2022
🔎 | FOCUS
Achraf Hakimi v Canada:
👌 73 touches
🅰️ 1 assist
🔑 1 key pass
🔭 2/3 accurate long balls
👟 40/46 accurate passes
⚔️ 7/10 duels won
🦵 4 tackles
🧲 2 interceptions
📈 7.4 Sofascore ratingOur Player of the Match! 🇲🇦💫#CANMAR #Qatar2022 #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/EM65JyF8LG
— Sofascore (@SofascoreINT) December 1, 2022
Expert Analysis
I’m seeing a lot of people with the finger wave towards Canada.
Relax.
WC runner up, golden generation in Belgium (that many believed had a major tournament trophy in them), and a Morocco team that earlier this year was unbeaten in 31 games.
Naivety did them in. #CAN
— herculez gomez (@herculezg) December 1, 2022
Canada really won the xG battle in 2 of their 3 matches and ended up with 0 points. I’m beyond frustrated. We really needed David and Larin to show up in this tournament and they just didn’t.
— Mahith Gamage (@mahithgamage) December 1, 2022
Romelu Lukaku accumulated more xG in the second half against Croatia (1.98) than Morocco did in the entire Group Stage (1.35).
— The xG Philosophy (@xGPhilosophy) December 1, 2022
Yet the #CanMNT still easily finished ahead of the #USMNT and #ElTri in qualifying. A sample size that is far bigger than a three game group stage. https://t.co/xTYS9Erbhp
— Manuel Veth (@ManuelVeth) December 1, 2022
Fan Reaction
Canada is like a team that gets promoted from the Championship by playing really elegant football and then once in the Premier League gets absolutely wrecked by Sam Allardyce’s West Brom or whatever.
— John Green (@sportswithjohn) December 1, 2022
This is that Ajax Ziyech balling out. We ain’t see him like this at Chelsea 🧐
— َ (@maxc1v_) December 1, 2022
Lots of fans outside Al Thumama Stadium unable to get into Morocco v Canada as half-time approaches. Frustration palpable 🇲🇦🇨🇦 pic.twitter.com/bqhwwlH4FN
— Simon Peach (@SimonPeach) December 1, 2022
I’ve loved Canada’s intent this tournament. Unlucky to leave with 0 points in my opinion but they’ll bounce back. I admire that despite having nothing to play for today they were determined to get something out of the game with Morocco. #CANMOR#FIFAWorldCup
— Tom Sutherland 🔶🇪🇺🇵🇱 (@SimplySuvo92) December 1, 2022
who would’ve imagined morocco topping a grp with belgium and croatia? Football throws up surprises which cricket never would
— rohan (@rhoehan11) December 1, 2022
So if Ziyech/Pulisic doing well can be written off because “its international football” surely those who #CFC fans want club to buy doing well can be written off too?
— Daniel Childs ☕️ (@SonOfChelsea) December 1, 2022
Morocco reach the World Cup last 16 for the first time since 1986.
What a moment 🇲🇦 pic.twitter.com/iZcWhPkdRu
— B/R Football (@brfootball) December 1, 2022
Morocco topping a group that has both Croatia and Belgium in it is quality stuff man. They should be proud
— ₆₆ (@LosoLFC) December 1, 2022
Morocco into the last 16 for the only time since 1986 when they became the first African side to reach the World Cup knockout stage. An incredible achievement. Coach Walid
Regragui was only appointed 81 days before the World Cup.👏🇲🇦 pic.twitter.com/I84flS79fz— Ben Jacobs (@JacobsBen) December 1, 2022
