World Cup 2022: Morocco sink dated Belgium for just third-ever tournament win

Morocco's supporters raised the roof at Al Thumama Stadium after their team caused another huge World Cup upset in Qatar with a 2-0 victory over Belgium.

This already felt a tournament too far for Roberto Martinez's 'golden generation' of Belgian players, but that should not detract at all from Morocco's deserved achievement in beating a side featuring world-class talents such as Kevin De Bruyne, Eden Hazard and Thibaut Courtois.

The north Africans join Saudi Arabia and Japan, the conquerors of Argentina and Germany respectively, in upsetting the old order, having already claimed a creditable goalless draw themselves against 2018 finalists Croatia in their opening game.

The goals came from second-half substitutes Abdelhamid Sabiri and Zakaria Aboukhlal, after Hakim Ziyech had one disallowed just before half-time.

Belgium are not out of it, but may now need to beat Croatia to progress to the last 16.

Morocco were forced into the latest of late changes when Yassine Bounou, named on the team sheet and standing in the line-up for the national anthem, had to be replaced before kick-off by Munir El Kajoui, with an eye issue reported to be the problem.

The vociferous Moroccan fans turned this into a home match for the Atlas Lions, whistling every Belgian touch.

But it was the Red Devils who created the first decent opening as Thorgan Hazard, one of three changes from the side which narrowly beat Canada, playing a delicious through-ball to Michy Batshuayi.

The former Chelsea and Crystal Palace man, who was Belgium's match-winner against the Canadians, latched onto it but El Kajoui came out to block.

Gradually Morocco started to assert themselves and after 20 minutes Chelsea winger Ziyech's left-foot shot from long range whistled just