Belgium vs Morocco 0-2: World Cup 2022 – as it happened

What a stunning few sets of results we have had already at this World Cup.

After beating the formidable Germans in their first outing, Japan ended up on the wrong side of a 1-0 result against Costa Rica.

Morocco then did one better by taking down one of the pre-tournament favourites.

Are we in for a potential third consecutive upset as Canada and Croatia warm up? Well, you will only get that answer if you switch over to our live blog coverage of the match as we build up to the opening kick-off.

And while you are waiting, make sure to check out our detailed match report of the recently concluded Morocco-Belgium affair.

The World Cup of upsets:

🇧🇪 Belgium 0-2 Morocco 🇲🇦
🇩🇪 Germany 1-2 Japan 🇯🇵
🇦🇷 Argentina 1-2 Saudi Arabia 🇸🇦 #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/xzunsBUvkM

— Football Tweet ⚽ (@Football__Tweet) November 27, 2022

MOROCCAN MAYHEMMM!! @EnMaroc #Qatar2022 #FIFAWorldCup #DimaMaghrib pic.twitter.com/uBFuBD0gjw

— Road to 2022 (@roadto2022en) November 27, 2022

1 – Belgium have scored one goal at the 2022 World Cup, only scoring fewer after two matches at the 1930 edition (0). They had scored eight goals at the same stage in 2018. Stunted. pic.twitter.com/U0OxrjWzWg

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) November 27, 2022

Limbs. 🇲🇦 pic.twitter.com/4hOeIL7NlB

— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) November 27, 2022

The referee blows the final whistle, and Al Thumama bursts into jubilation as Morocco have beaten second-ranked Belgium to seal a 2-0 victory.

It really was a match of two halves as Belgium by all accounts dominated the first one before Morocco, most likely due to the late disallowed goal at the end of the first half, wrested back control.

They continued to threaten the Belgian end as the match wore on, and once Sabiri broke the deadlock, they began to believe more and more.

Belgium certainly helped their case by having no choice but to push higher up the pitch, which allowed Morocco even more space to make another penetrating run, which ultimately led to the death blow at the end from Aboukhlal.

It is Moroccan mayhem at Al Thumama!

Ziyech has been a constant nuisance for Belgium, and he makes a valuable assist as his run into the box leaves him pushed to the outside right.

He spots Aboukhlal lurking not too far from the near post. The forward receives it from Ziyech and shoots right into the top corner of the net to send the Moroccan fans into delirium.

90+3 mins: Belgium 0-2 Morocco

After Hamdallah’s surging run is deflected away for a left corner, Morocco take it quickly but are unable to make anything of it.

90+1 mins: Belgium 0-1 Morocco

The fourth official has signalled five minutes of stoppage time. That leaves plenty of time for an exciting finish.

90 mins: Belgium 0-1 Morocco

Morocco have managed a few runs at the other end as a natural consequence of the higher lines Martinez is employing.

Belgium should be careful because another Moroccan goal would effectively end this match.

87 mins: Belgium 0-1 Morocco

Belgium are pushing higher up the pitch.

Morocco, who have not conceded a goal in over 10 hours of play, will want to keep that record intact as we wind down here at Al Thumama Stadium.

85 mins: Belgium 0-1 Morocco

Belgium win a corner on the right, and Mertens picks out the central defender, who glances the header just left of the goal.

83 mins: Belgium 0-1 Morocco

Meunier makes way for the Inter Milan striker as Belgium need a goal, and very quickly at that.

82 mins: Belgium 0-1 Morocco

Martinez is now fully in damage-control mode as he brings on attackers Leandro Trossard and Charles De Ketelaere for Eden Hazard and Michy Batshuayi.

79 mins: Belgium 0-1 Morocco

You could sense it coming. The whole stadium could feel a goal was in the works. The red and green flag of Morocco is being waved everywhere.

Fans are jumping, hugs all around. It is their first goal in this tournament, and who can blame them for celebrating.

Morocco are ahead!

Soon after those substitutions are made, a corner is won on the left side. Sabiri, who was recently brought on, curls in a lovely attempt at the far post, which beats Courtois all ends up.

Morocco thoroughly deserve that one after very much being the more positive of the two sides this half.

73 mins: Belgium 0-1 Morocco

Morocco make two more changes: Sofiane Boufal and Youssef En-Nesyri off,  Zakaria Aboukhlal and Abderrazak Hamdallah on.

71 mins: Belgium 0-0 Morocco

Moroccan manager Walid Regragui decides he needs to respond in kind by making two substitutions of his own.

Abdelhamid Sabiri and Yahia Attiyat Allah are brought on in place of Selim Amallah and Achraf Hakimi.

68 mins: Belgium 0-0 Morocco

The forward, just five minutes or so after coming on, makes an impact as he shoots from outside the box, but the shot is blocked by El Kajoui.

Batshuayi receives the ball inside the box, but his attempt is deflected as the ball loops comfortably to the Moroccan goalkeeper for an easy save.

67 mins: Belgium 0-0 Morocco

Morocco look far better this second half. Sofiane Boufal continues to harass on that left side, but has not been able to pick out anyone despite sending in a few hopeful crosses into the middle.

65 mins: Belgium 0-0 Morocco

Courtois’s eardrums are taking a good old beating thanks to the Moroccan fans behind his goal.

They are whistling and cheering non-stop. Not surprising that the Real Madrid shot stopper is keeping a high line whenever possible.

Martinez wisely decides a change is needed. On come Dries Mertens and Youri Tielemans for Eden Hazard and Onana.

61 mins: Belgium 0-0 Morocco

70 – #Belgium 🇧🇪 have had a 70% possession against #Morocco 🇲🇦 before the break, their best tally in a first half of a #WorldCup game since at least 1966. Proposal.#BELMAR #FIFAWorldCup #FIFAWorldCupQatar2022 pic.twitter.com/pE2r067npw

— OptaJose (@OptaJose) November 27, 2022

The attacker picks up the ball outside the left top corner of the box and looks to finesse a shot past Courtois, but the ball just narrowly evades the right post.

So, so close there for Morocco. They are increasingly becoming a threat for the Belgian defence.

57 mins: Belgium 0-0 Morocco

There’s been industry in this Belgian performance but it’s lacked incisiveness.

If I were Martinez, I’d be looking to get Tielemans and Lukaku on.

This time it is the diminutive winger’s turn to have a go at the net, and he rockets one at the Moroccan keeper, who does well to parry it away for a left-side corner. The resulting corner ends up being headed over the bar by Amadou Onana.

53 mins: Belgium 0-0 Morocco

First legitimate shot on target from Morocco, and how appropriate that it is Ziyech who takes it.

He gets some space outside the box and looks to curl one past Courtois’s right but ends up hitting it squarer at the keeper.

Perhaps it was that late disallowed goal in the previous half, but Morocco are certainly pressing higher up the pitch.

50 mins: Belgium 0-0 Morocco

Euphoria and cheering … then great disappointment as Morocco’s goal was ruled out at the stroke of half-time.

“It was disrespectful,” Ayoub, a fan wrapped in a Moroccan flag, said at a youth centre in Brussels. “It was clearly a goal.”

The players have regrouped and are ready to go. It will be Morocco kicking things off for the second half.

Belgium 0-0 Morocco

The red and green army feels like it had the upper hand. The Moroccan fans can’t wait for the second half.

“It was not a goal. It was a close call, though. The second half will go well for us,” Jalal Nouider said as he took his seat for the second half.

“The Belgians haven’t played well. They are going through a tough time. Our team played well.”

The last four games of this World Cup have been goalless.

Maybe we should just not have first halves. Start the game ahead of the second half, and then play 45 minutes of stoppage time.

— Michael Cox (@Zonal_Marking) November 27, 2022

They can’t believe it. They are booing the referee. They feel they should have had that goal. So many unhappy faces all around.

The Moroccan fans didn’t want that half to end. They were sensing blood. The Red Devils, with their ageing backline, were on the ropes.

What a crazy last few minutes!

Ziyech was centimetres away from putting his side ahead despite Morocco being largely second best throughout that first half.

Belgium dictated play and had 70 percent possession. They also had double the shots at six to three.

The Red Devils also managed a staggering 334 passes to Morocco’s 141, which sums up things rather well.

Morocco will be pleased to keep the game level as they enter the second half but will be wary of Belgium’s capability and deep reserves.

Ziyech sends in a lovely strike that beats Courtois and nestles into the bottom right corner of the net. It’s a goal!

Seems as though the ball grazed Courtois’s right side as it beat him.

But wait, there is a VAR check for possible interference as he did seem to be caught out when the ball went in. The referee checks and rules the goal will not stand.

Saiss was just ahead of his marker. He’s offside. Would have been an incredible finish for Morocco if that was a clean attempt.

45+3 mins: Belgium 0-0 Morocco

Golden opportunity here as Morocco win a free-kick just on the outside of the right corner of the box.

The fourth official has signalled for one minute of added time, so this could very well be the final chance of the half for either side.

45+1 mins: Belgium 0-0 Morocco

There is an eardrum-splitting cheer from the Moroccan fans every time Hakimi, the Atlas Lions’ right back, poaches the ball. He is possibly the most popular player with the fans in the stadium.

The 24-year-old PSG player has been running up and down the right side, covering every square centimetre of the green turf. The Madrid-born player’s stamina is unbelievable – super human lungs.

It seems like Belgium’s manager Roberto Martinez may allow the Inter Milan striker Romelu Lukaku to have a go as reports suggest he is progressing well in his recovery.

44 mins: Belgium 0-0 Morocco

Courtois was Belgium’s best player in their first game against Canada. The keeper’s string of saves kept a spirited Canadian side at bay. But so far, he’s been relatively untroubled by Morocco.

De Bruyne is brought down on the left near the corner flag and gets a free kick. He looks to have a go at the far post but ends up getting too much height on it.

39 mins: Belgium 0-0 Morocco

Hakimi goes on a run from the right side and gets into the box but doesn’t have any support as he laces this one at Courtois.

The ball ends up flying past the left post.

35 mins: Belgium 0-0 Morocco

Staggering amount when you realise, by that metric, that each player out there averages 82 caps!

33 mins: Belgium 0-0 Morocco

Belgium’s Onana goes into the book after a rather rough aerial challenge on Ounahi.

Morocco win the resulting free kick about 40 metres (44 yards) out, but nothing comes of it.

30 mins: Belgium 0-0 Morocco

This is the first time that brothers Thorgan and Eden Hazard have started a World Cup match together. Their parents must be so proud.

28 mins: Belgium 0-0 Morocco

“No chance, we’re too old,” Kevin de Bruyne said in a recent interview with The Guardian when asked if Belgium has a chance of winning the World Cup.

“I think our chance was 2018. We have a good team, but it is ageing. We lost some key players. We have some good new players coming, but they are not at the level other players were in 2018. I see us more as outsiders.”

The Belgian goalie tries to be a bit too casual on the ball in the face of a rampaging En Nesyri.

He is able to do a quick step-over the other way to send the striker off his tail before going downfield.

Could have been a really bad start for Belgium if he had messed that up.

24 mins: Belgium 0-0 Morocco

Morocco’s first crack at goal comes courtesy of a Ziyech long-distance strike from well outside the box.

It has just a bit too much elevation on it to trouble Courtois.

22 mins: Belgium 0-0 Morocco

Meunier gets the honour after some more Belgium pressure forces Morocco to be dispossessed just outside the box.

The right back is able to find some space to lace one at the net, but it is dealt with rather comfortably by El Kajoui.

19 mins: Belgium 0-0 Morocco

This time, Belgium’s free kick is on the left side of the pitch about 25 metres (27 yards) out.

De Bruyne has a one-two with Eden Hazard before shooting but is thwarted by the Moroccan wall. The resulting corner on the left doesn’t bear much fruit either.

In comparison to their opening match against Canada, Belgium are really playing with some purpose so far.

17 mins: Belgium 0-0 Morocco

The Belgian players are taking their time, making safe, close passes to each other and generating loud whistles from the Moroccan fans.

It’s starting to get dark inside the stadium. The floodlights have been switched on.

The whistling goes a few notches up whenever De Bruyne has the ball. Perhaps the Moroccan fans know the Manchester City maestro is deadly on the ball.

We’re at Capital, a youth centre close to the canal in central Brussels. About 50 teenagers and people in their 20s are seated in front of a large screen, many of them of Moroccan background. They’ve brought bags of candy and Moroccan flags. Lots of excited chatter and cheering for the Moroccan team.

Belgium win a free kick in a dangerous area just outside the top right of the box.

Thorgan Hazard and De Bruyne are waiting with the latter curling in a ball into the middle, which doesn’t succeed in finding a Belgian head.

12 mins: Belgium 0-0 Morocco

Having dominated possession to the tune of 79 percent, the Red Devils are looking to dictate play as Morocco seem content to sit back somewhat.

11 mins: Belgium 0-0 Morocco

Belgium have great attacking strength on the bench. Unfortunately for them, Romelu Lukaku isn’t fully fit, and Thierry Henry is the assistant coach.

See the problem why Belgium are struggling is they have this guy on the bench instead of starting him up top pic.twitter.com/WVk2bR25qI

— FootballJOE (@FootballJOE) November 27, 2022

Thorgan Hazard is tasked with taking it from the left side and whips it in, but the Moroccan defence is able to deflect it away for a right side corner.

Thorgan takes it once more and sends in another searching ball, but nothing comes of it.

7 mins: Belgium 0-0 Morocco

Ziyech hardly gets a look in at Chelsea, but he’s arguably Morocco’s most important player. The winger is such a focal point of this Moroccan attack.

There is a very late change here for Morocco as goalkeeper Bounou has been withdrawn for Monir El Kajoui.

We hope to get more updates on that shortly for you.

5 mins: Belgium 0-0 Morocco

The sides have stood for the anthems and are raring to go.

Belgium go in with a 3-5-2 formation while Morocco is sporting a slightly more aggressive 4-1-2-3 scheme.

The Red Devils have kicked off proceedings here at Al Thumama.

1 minute: Belgium 0-0 Morocco

A ball hasn’t been kicked yet, but the stadium is rocking. Somewhere there are Belgian fans, but it is almost impossible to see them. There’s an endless roar from the Atlas Lions fans.

Can they sustain this for the whole match? We will find out.

Day off so watching inside Al Thumama… Belgium/Morocco. pic.twitter.com/BQA0B0EDdk

— kevin keatings (@_keatings) November 27, 2022

Belgian fans are outnumbered. They are hard to spot in a sea of red and green, but they are very much part of the crowd at Al Thumama Stadium and hoping for a solid showing from the Red Devils.

“Hopefully, we will play better than we did against Canada,” Belgian fan Guillaume Danloy said. “I think De Bruyne will be back to his best in this game. It was a poor performance, but you know the best team wakes up when it matters the most.”

Belgium are the only team in Group F to have scored in their opening game at Qatar 2022 with a 1-0 win over Canada, thanks to a Michy Batshuayi goal.

It was the Red Devils’ eighth victory in a row in World Cup group matches.

What an unpredictable win for Costa Rica against Japan in the first match of day 8 of the #FIFAWorldCup

Up next is Belgium V Morocco, who do you think will win? Vote below 👇#Qatar2022 | #MARBEL

— AJE Sport (@AJE_Sport) November 27, 2022

A carnival atmosphere is building up outside the stadium. The Moroccan fans are not in a rush to take their seats. Everywhere you look, you can see the red and green of the Atlas Lions.

“It is going to be a difficult game, but the team will do its best,” said Chrafoo Jadroun, who was wearing a Hakimi jersey. “I’m going for a 2-1 win with Hakimi and Ziyech to score. We will repeat our 1998 World Cup performance.”

Morocco have plenty of experience playing against European teams at the World Cup, having done so in 13 of their 17 matches so far.

Abdeslam Koubaa, who holds dual Moroccan-Belgian nationality, is at Al Thumama Stadium for the match.

“Whoever the winner is, I’ll be happy,” he said, explaining that he cannot choose a side since he doesn’t consider himself half-Belgian or half-Moroccan but “both at the same time”.

“I consider Morocco as my mother and Belgium as my father,” said Koubaa, adding that he’s in “Qatar to support my mother and father”.

Yassine Bounou, Noussair Mazraoui, Romain Saïss, Nayef Aguerd, Achraf Hakimi, Selim Amallah, Sofyan Amrabat, Azzedine Ounahi, Sofiane Boufal, Youssef En-Nesyri, Hakim Ziyech

🚨 التشكيلة الرسمية للمنتخب الوطني أمام منتخب بلجيكا

𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗫𝗜 against Belgium 🇧🇪#DimaMaghrib 🇲🇦 #TeamMorocco #FIFAWorldCup @pumafootball pic.twitter.com/pLJacl9RhR

— Équipe du Maroc (@EnMaroc) November 27, 2022

Thibaut Courtois, Toby Alderweireld, Timothy Castagne, Jan Vertonghen, Thomas Meunier, Axel Witsel, Andre Onana, Thorgan Hazard, Kevin De Bruyne, Eden Hazard, Michy Batshuayi

Sunday XI. 🇧🇪 #SelectedbyPwC #BELMAR #DEVILTIME pic.twitter.com/QPcF4UGhU9

— Belgian Red Devils (@BelRedDevils) November 27, 2022

After a narrow 1-0 victory against Canada, Belgium will be eager to display a little more solidarity as they look to maintain their position at the top of Group F.

They will certainly be coming into this contest with a lot of respect for their opponent after Morocco held Croatia to a stalemate. The Atlas Lions will hope to build on that performance in a group that could be difficult to predict.

Will it be business as usual for the Belgians, or can Morocco register another shock in the tournament?

We’ll be playing at the Al Thumama Stadium. 🏟🇧🇪 #BELMAR #DEVILTIME pic.twitter.com/6DYxeWEeEJ

— Belgian Red Devils (@BelRedDevils) November 27, 2022

Belgium and Morocco have met once before in the sport’s biggest tournament.

They played in the 1994 World Cup hosted by the US, with Morocco losing by one goal.

The Atlas Lions fans have started arriving early at Al Thumama Stadium.

There is a steady crowd picking up the free green and red merchandise at the complimentary team flags stand outside the stadium.

The temperature is in the high 20s. It is a hot Doha afternoon but that is not dumping down the spirits outside the stadium.

Outside the stadium, the DJ in the entertainment zone has started blasting songs to warm up the mainly Moroccan crowd.

Abdeslam Koubaa, 67, a dual citizen of Belgium and Morocco is flying from his home in Muscat, Oman, just for the day to watch the match between his two countries.

The digital transformation consultant says he is more of a “rugby man”, but this is not a match he wanted to miss.

“It’s THE match,” he told Al Jazeera’s Annette Ekin. “I am so lucky. I have two chances to win the World Cup,” he said. “My dream is to have the final: Morocco and Belgium.”

This game could present a well-drilled, passionate Moroccan team with a real opportunity to beat an increasingly inconsistent Belgian side.

The age of Belgian players such as Real Madrid’s Eden Hazard is beginning to show on the pitch during the action for club and country.

Meanwhile, Morocco have shown flashes of brilliance, notably Chelsea’s Hakim Ziyech and PSG’s Achraf Hakimi.

Match preview: Belgium vs Morocco

Missed the earlier games? Catch up on our blow-by-blow coverage:

Belgium vs Canada 1-0: World Cup 2022 – as it happened

Morocco vs Croatia 0-0: World Cup 2022 – as it happened

Our AI predictor Kashef has made a prediction for the match. See if you know better than our bot.

Play here.

Many will look to superstar right-back Achraf Hakimi to power Morocco’s campaign with his trademark bombings down the flanks and pinpoint crosses.

Also watch star Hakim Ziyech, who was frozen out by the team’s former manager but recalled by current manager Walid Regragui.

Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois and superlative midfielder Kevin De Bruyne are likely to prove instrumental in Belgium’s World Cup campaign.

Also keep an eye on several next-generation players, notably Charles De Ketelaere who plays attacking midfielder for AC Milan in Italy.

The draw in the first match against 2018 finalists Croatia was welcomed by many Morocco fans.

“We were up against a much stronger opponent … I thought, maybe we could repeat what Saudi did, but still it’s OK,” Belal Hamdou, who lives in Doha, told Al Jazeera

“A draw will do for now … The team could have attacked more, but I don’t want people to put pressure. Let’s support them till the end.”

Read more: Moroccan fans bring alive dry draw against Croatia

Belgium have qualified for the World Cup a whopping 13 times, making the tournament in 2014, 2018, and 2022 following a gap after 2002.

Morocco have been to the tournament five previous times, making it to the round of 16 – their farthest – in 1986.

Moroccans are yet another team put forth as possible dark horses in the tournament, and have been enlivened by the significant fan presence here in Qatar.

Still, the team will need to capitalise on their chances against the much higher-ranked Belgium, something they could not do against Croatia.

The tournament may represent the last opportunity for the country’s golden generation to go all the way.

Four years ago, Belgium’s inspired play reaped victories for the ages against Japan and Brazil, leading to a third-place finish, their best-ever result.

Still, they will need to find the spark faster following a sleepy opening against Canada.

Morocco come into the match following a draw against Croatia, a feat that exceeded expectations and energised fans.

Belgium, among the top contenders to win the tournament, meanwhile escaped a major upset by nabbing a 1-0 victory over a motivated Canada.

Free Zone Metro Station on the red line is the closest metro station to Al Thumama Stadium.

A shuttle bus service (Number S980) will run to/from Free Zone Metro Station. Allow a minimum of 20 minutes for this bus journey. From the drop-off point, it is a minimum of a 35-minute walk to the stadium.

Situated to the south of central Doha, close to the city’s Hamad International Airport.

The stadium is built in the form of a ghafiya, the traditional cap worn by men across the Middle East.

In the second match of day eight, Belgium will face Morocco at Al Thumama Stadium. The game kicks off at 4pm (13:00 GMT).

Follow us here for all the latest news and updates as the game approaches.