Morocco came from behind twice to beat Haiti 4-2 (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Morocco advanced to the Round of 32 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after substitutes Soufiane Rahimi and Gessime Yassine inspired a 4-2 comeback victory over Haiti at Atlanta Stadium.
Haiti took the lead twice during an eventful first half through a Yassine Bounou own goal and an outstanding Wilson Isidor strike. Achraf Hakimi and Ismael Saibari responded for Morocco before halftime.
Rahimi then scored the decisive goal in the 78th minute, with his effort taking a deflection on its way past Johny Placide. The forward later set up Yassine to complete the scoring in the 89th minute.
Morocco finished second in Group C behind Brazil, who defeated Scotland 3-0 in the other match. Haiti ended their campaign without a point despite producing their strongest attacking performance of the tournament.
Haiti Twice Shock Morocco
Haiti entered the match already eliminated but opened the scoring after only 10 minutes.
Jean-Kévin Duverne delivered a low cross towards Lenny Joseph, whose attempted flick was turned into the net off Morocco goalkeeper Bounou. The goal was officially recorded as an own goal.
Morocco controlled possession and created several chances before Hakimi equalized in the 39th minute. Placide failed to deal cleanly with a deflected cross, allowing the Morocco captain to force the loose ball over the line from close range.
Haiti responded four minutes later with one of the most impressive goals of the group stage. Isidor collected the ball outside the penalty area and drove a powerful shot across Bounou into the top corner.
The advantage lasted less than two minutes. Hakimi advanced behind the Haitian defence and delivered a low pass for Saibari, who guided a first-time finish into the bottom corner.
Saibari’s goal was his third of the tournament.
Rahimi Leads Second-Half Comeback
Morocco increased the pressure after the interval but struggled to turn their possession into clear chances.
Head coach Mohamed Ouahbi made a triple substitution in the 70th minute, introducing Rahimi, Yassine and Azzedine Ounahi.
The changes produced the breakthrough eight minutes later. Chadi Riad flicked on a corner at the near post, and Rahimi controlled the ball before firing a shot that deflected off a defender and beat Placide.
Rahimi played another important role in Morocco’s fourth goal. He prevented the ball from crossing the goal line and squared it to Yassine, who finished into an empty net. The goal was awarded following a VAR review.
Morocco finished with 3.26 expected goals compared with Haiti’s 0.66, reflecting the sustained pressure applied by the North African side.
Group C
| Team | P | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🇧🇷 Brazil | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | +6 | 7 |
| 🇲🇦 Morocco | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | +3 | 7 |
| 🏴 Scotland | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | -3 | 3 |
| 🇭🇹 Haiti | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | -6 | 0 |
Advance Behind Brazil
The victory confirmed Morocco’s place in the Round of 32 as Group C runners-up.
Brazil secured first place with a 3-0 victory over Scotland, while Haiti finished fourth after losing all three of their matches.
Haiti also ended their second World Cup appearance without earning the first point in the country’s tournament history. However, their two goals against Morocco represented a significant improvement after defeats to Scotland and Brazil.
Morocco will now face the winner of Group F in the opening knockout round. Supporters assessing the next stage can also follow the latest World Cup 2026 Betting Bonuses in Canada and compare available soccer betting sites before the Round of 32 begins.
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