Morocco cruise into knockout stage with 2-1 win over Canada

Morocco's head coach Walid Regragui is thrown in the air in celebration. Picture: AP Photo/Frank Augstein

Canada 1 Morocco 2 

Morocco march on. A wild, ruby red wave swept away Canada, Belgium and all predictions as the Africans topped Group F in one of the biggest, and potentially most consequential, surprises of this World Cup.

At the final whistle in Al Thumama the Moroccans sprinted off in all directions, their moment of history literally running away from them. Eventually they massed on one ball of joy near the centre circle and bounced before heading down to one end where their supporters had massed. But there were Moroccan bodies and voices everywhere here. All loud, all ecstatic.

They were handed a healthy lead on a plate by a chaotic Canadian performance and while they had hairy moments, they were only ever given half a scare. Nothing happening across town was worrying them either with Belgium unable to find a dying kick against Croatia. So it is Walid Regragui’s unlikely but impossible not to like side who topped Group F and head for the last 16 with all this momentum, with a sense of destiny, a thriving Arab team in the Arab world’s first World Cup. A second African side through to boot.

The Moroccans got off to the most perfect starts courtesy of a gift wrapped in red and white. Defender Steven Vitoria dawdled in possession and gave a short pass back to goalkeeper Milan Borjan. But the Red Star goalkeeper still had time and room to maneuver. Instead he gift possession to Hakim Ziyech and watched as the Chelsea winger sent the ball sailing over his head. It was a clanger from a man who knows plenty about them.

For the next 10 minutes Canada wobbled horribly without much Moroccan input. Misplaced passes, cheap giveaways, needless fouls, the country with a reputation for politeness was being much too generous. A breakaway led by Cyle Larin almost found an equaliser on 15 minutes but Tajon Buchanan skewed wide.

So much of Morocco’s threat comes down the right where PSG’s Achraf Hakimi bombs forward and dovetails so well with Ziyech, combining as a daunting duo. But after 23 minutes, Hakimi didn’t need to bomb at all. He barely had to move. A relatively simple long ball caught the Canadian defence, its weakest link, napping and Youssef En-Nesyri raced in, controlled and shot past Borjan, who ought to have done better.

Al Thumama was a sea of red joy. Morocco were 2-0 up having barely got going. Canada, having started this tournament with one of its most impressive early performances, when they totally outplayed the Belgians, were in danger of leaving as the tournament’s worst team statistically. John Herdman tinkered with his lineup as his midfield was being overrun again but then got the lucky break he likely felt his side deserved.

Five minutes before the break left back Sam Adekugbe surged forward and sent a low cross in across the goal that may not have caused too much trouble. West Ham defender Nayef Aguerd looked initially as though he would leave it but then flicked a foot at it. The ball spun beyond Bono and there was somehow just a goal in it.

Inevitably, with so much on the line, Morocco tightening up after the break, ceded space and ball to the men in red. The noise, though, never receded. Canada enjoyed the opportunity to finally settle into it as a contest and Alphonso Davies probed as Larin ran hard.

Moroccan captain Sofyan Amrabat parked himself in front of his defence in an effort to keep the risks at a minimum. But some real scares came. With 18 minutes to go, Canadian captain Atiba Hutchinson, likely signing off on a legendary career at 39, almost did so with a famous goal. His header from a corner crashed off the underside of Bono’s bad and the ball came within a few blades of white painted grass of being an equaliser.

The Moroccan masses were living every minute as an hour. Canada waited 36 years to return to a World Cup only to rapidly depart. Morocco have waited an identical amount of time to hang around at one of these things.

Injury time was chaotic, Borjan racing forward for a corner, almost getting caught on the break only to be bailed out by Davies. On we went until that moment of release. Morocco's dream continues.

Canada (4-3-3: Borjan 4, Johnston 5, Miller 4, Vitoria 5, Adekugbe 6 (Kone 60); Hoilett 5, Kaye 4 (Hutchinson 60), Osorio 6 (Laryea 65); Buchanan, Larin 6 (David 60), Davies.

Booked: Osorio, Hoilett (Wotherspoon 75), Adekugbe, Vitoria.

Morocco (4-3-2): Bono 7; Hakimi 7 (Jabrane 85), Aguerd 6, Saiss, Mazraoui; Ounahi 6 (El Yamiq 77), Amrabat, Sabiri 6 (Amallah 65); Ziyech 7 (Hamdallah 76), En-Nesyri, Boufal 5 (Aboukhlal 65).

Referee: Raphael Claus (Brazil) Att: 43,2012