Morocco came from behind twice to beat Haiti 4-2 in a thrilling Group C finale, securing a place in the Round of 32, but falling short of a group top spot.
Haiti twice threatened an upset, but Morocco’s late surge sealed victory and ended Les Grenadiers’ World Cup campaign.
We reflect on this game in our Scout Notes, which features match stats from our World Cup Toolkit page.
MOROCCO 4-2 HAITI
- Goals: Hakimi, Saibari, Rahimi, Yassine | Bono (own goal), Isidor
- Assists: Hakimi, Riad, Rahimi | Duverne, Joseph
- Tackle bonus: El Khannouss | Jacques
- Shots on target bonus: El Kaabi
- Top points scorers: Hakimi (11), Rahimi (11), Isidor (9), Yassine (8), Saibari (8),
TEAM STATS
PLAYER STATS
SCOUT NOTES
- Morocco made several notable changes from their Round 2 victory. Anass Salah-Eddine ($3.9m) started ahead of Noussair Mazraoui ($4.4m), a decision that surprised many. Redouane Halhal ($3.5m) also came in for Issa Diop ($4.5m), while Sofyan Amrabat ($5.9m) replaced teenage sensation Ayyoub Bouaddi ($5.5m) in midfield. The biggest talking point for Fantasy managers, though, was Ayoub El Kaabi ($5.9m) making his first World Cup start. That pushed Ismael Saibari ($6.8m) into the number 10 role rather than the forward position many had expected.
- When asked in the pre-match press conference on possible changes to the line-up, manager Mohamed Ouahbi said this:
“No, we’ll choose from the 26 players already in the squad. They won’t be unfamiliar players – you all know them.
As I said in the last press conference, our objective is to win the match. To do that we have to field the best possible team. The best team depends on the opponent, the fact that this is the third match and the fact that we have a very good chance of already qualifying, although we aren’t qualified yet.
We take all of that into account. Some players are in very good physical condition, so we could even start with exactly the same team again without any problem. But we’ll make the final decision tonight. The players don’t know anything yet because we’re considering every possibility. There are options, but there are no guarantees.”
He was also asked about rumours of injury to Mazraoui, to which he responded by saying:
“No, he’s not injured.
I don’t know where you’ve heard that. He’s not injured at all.
If you’ve heard that, I don’t know what your source is. You’re journalists – don’t rely on social media. Verify your information.
He has absolutely nothing wrong with him.”
- Although the scoreline suggests a close contest, the statistics tell a different story. Morocco dominated from start to finish. They enjoyed 69% possession, produced 3.76 xG (expected goals), created four more big chances, registered 11 more attempts on goal and won eight more corners than Haiti.
- Haiti’s first goal came via an unfortunate own goal from Yassine Bounou ($4.7m), after a shot took a heavy deflection. Their second arrived through a stunning long-range strike from Wilson Isidor. Those goals owed more to bad luck and individual brilliance than poor defending, which keeps Morocco’s defensive assets firmly in the fantasy conversation.
- The standout performer was arguably Achraf Hakimi ($6.0m). The full-back constantly found himself in advanced positions. Early on, he latched onto a lofted pass from deep but saw his close-range effort saved. He then got on the scoresheet after reacting quickest to a loose ball in the box. Hakimi continued to surge forward and later delivered a low cross from the right that Saibari converted. He finished with 11 fantasy points despite losing the clean sheet, underlining just how dangerous he is in attack.
- The opening chance actually fell to El Kaabi, but he failed to convert. Once again, he struggled to make an impact. He offered little creativity and never really linked play together. That could work in Saibari’s favour over the long term. The midfielder scored from Hakimi’s cross and remained lively throughout. He also missed a big chance and wasted a promising three-versus-two attack after miskicking his final pass. Even so, El Kaabi’s display may be enough to see Saibari return to a more advanced role in the next match.
- Morocco made several changes around the 70th minute. Saibari, El Kaabi and Brahim Díaz ($6.4m) all came off. Díaz had a quieter game than usual and missed a huge opportunity when he blasted an effort against the crossbar from close range.
When a reporter at the post-match press conference mentioned Diaz was below his usual level, the manager voiced the following:
“We tried to select a balanced and competitive team based on the circumstances.
Brahim is the top scorer from the Africa Cup of Nations, the best player from that tournament, and he plays for Real Madrid. He’s an outstanding footballer.
We expect a lot from him because he’s one of our best players. Even so, he already has two assists from the first two matches.
- Bilal El Khannouss ($6.2m) also deserves a mention. Operating between the number 10 role and the left wing, he created one big chance that went begging. He also finished with three key passes and two attempts on goal, making him an intriguing option for fantasy managers.
- Overall, Morocco produced another impressive display and their key assets delivered once again. Early projections suggest a meeting with the Netherlands in the next round, which could reduce their overall Fantasy appeal.
