Doha: Morocco takes the lead in the second half after shocking Belgium in the FIFA World Cup. Substitute Al Sabiri scored the goal in the 73rd minute. Sabiri’s free kick made the Belgium goalie a spectator and hit the Belgium net. The first half of the match was goalless. In the 44th minute, Morocco hit the back of the net, but the video assistant referee checked the ball and found it to be offside. Belgium dominated the game in the first half.
In the 12th minute, Kevin De Bruyne’s free kick was blocked by the Moroccan defenders. Although Belgium won more than one corner in the opening minutes, they all showed the strength of Morocco’s defence. Thorgan Hazard’s free kick for Belgium in the 16th minute went to his brother Eden Hazard. The ball was passed to Kevin De Bruyne but the move ended in another corner. Amadou Onana headed in Belgium’s corner, but it also missed the post.
After the 19th minute of the game, Belgium’s possession was 79 percent. Belgium made four shots on the Moroccan post. In the 27th minute, against the flow of the game, Moroccan player Achraf Hakimi received the ball in the Belgium box, but the ball went over the bar. Even after the first 40 minutes, neither Belgium nor Morocco could score. In the last minute (44) of the first half, Morocco shocked Belgium but did not concede a goal. Morocco forward Hakim Ziyech scored the goal. But the referee disallowed the goal as it was found to be offside.
14 of the 26 matches played in the Qatar World Cup so far have been goalless in the first half. After defeating all of Belgium’s goal attempts in the first half, Morocco also started trying to shake the net in the second half. In the 48th minute, the free kick taken by Ziech of Morocco was not a threat to Belgium’s defense. In the second half, both teams went forward with more attacks. In the 54th minute, Moroccan player Amrabat grabbed Thorgan Hazard’s cross from the left side. Belgium’s Michy Batshuayi attempted an aerial ball in the 64th minute when the referee raised the offside flag. Belgium and Morocco sent their substitutes to the ground in the second half with the goal of scoring. Morocco benefited from it. Substitute Al Sabiri scored the goal in the 73rd minute. The player entered the field to play in the 68th minute.
Belgium is facing Morocco with a record of never losing to an African country in the World Cup. When the two teams met in a friendly match in 2008, Morocco won 4–1. This is also Belgium’s 50th match in the World Cup.
English Summary: FIFA World Cup 2022, Belgium vs Morocco Match Live Update