Highlights, FIFA World Cup 2022 Croatia vs Belgium, Canada vs Morocco: FT CRO 0-0 BEL, CAN 1-2 MAR; Belgium knocked out

Are they the true dark horses of this tournament?

🇲🇦🦁 For the first time since 1986, the Atlas Lions have escaped the groups! pic.twitter.com/12rJKpYsBK

— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) December 1, 2022

FT’ Croatia 0-0 Belgium; Canada 1-2 Morocco

Croatia and Morocco are through to the Round of 16, while Belgium — semi-finalists in 2018 — are knocked out!

Morocco advance from the group stage for the first time since 1986 while Belgium fail to qualify for the knockouts for the first time since 1998!

90’ Croatia 0-0 Belgium; Canada 1-2 Morocco

Four minutes added in both games after the clock hits the 90-minute mark. And as things stand right now, Morocco are set to become the second African team after Senegal to qualify for the Round of 16!

89’ Croatia 0-0 Belgium

Doku leads an inspired run into the Croatian box and manages to pass the ball to Hazard on the right flank. Hazard puts in a cross to Lukaku at the centre, and the Inter Milan striker yet again fails to finish things off, tamely chipping it towards Croatian keeper Livakovic. Is that it for Belgium as far as their journey in the 2022 FIFA World Cup is concerned?

85’ Croatia 0-0 Belgium

The Belgians win a corner with five minutes left in regulation time. Nothing comes out of it though, with the Croats managing to take the ball to the midfield. A little over a minute later, Lukaku takes aim at the Croatian goal from inside the box yet again, and sprays it wide.

How close were the Canadians to an equaliser!

Millions of Moroccan hearts skipped a beat 😰🇲🇦#FIFAWorldCup | #Qatar2022 pic.twitter.com/e74S9s5TFJ

— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) December 1, 2022

72’ Croatia 0-0 Belgium

Both the Croats and the Belgians have made changes after the hour mark:

Croatia: Pasalic and Petkovic in place of Kramaric and Livaja.

Belgium: Tielemans and Doku in place of Dendoncker and Carrasco.

72’ Canada 1-2 Morocco

Canada nearly find an equaliser in the 72nd minute, with the ball landing on the goal-line — and not entirely inside, as is mandated — before bouncing out of the post. Atiba Hutchinson was very much on target in his header and had beaten keeper Bounou, but luck clearly isn’t on his side. A Moroccan defender manages to head this over the net for a corner.

64’ Canada 1-2 Morocco

Both teams make multiple changes around the hour mark:

Canada: Hutchinson, Kone and David in place of Adekugbe, Kane and Larin.

Morocco: Aboukhlal and Amallah in place of Boufal and Sabiri.

Sam Adekugbe, who had earlier scored his team’s only goal of the game so far, is one of the three players — all of them Canadians — to get booked.

Earlier today, when Croatia were denied a penalty due to an offside

Miles offside, clearly.#CROBEL #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/yR1nxgKj8o

— Robin Bairner (@RBairner) December 1, 2022

61’ Croatia 0-0 Belgium

Lukaku nearly puts Belgium ahead at the hour mark! Shoots from inside the box with the ball taking an inside deflection off the right post! But what an impact the Inter Milan striker is having on the game at the moment! Pressure suddenly on Zlatko Dalic’s men.

54’ Croatia 0-0 Belgium;

Modric nearly finds the net less than 10 minutes into the second half, only for Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois to foil his attempt from inside the box and keep Belgium’s hopes alive. Croatia have three shots on target already compared to one from Belgium.

Croatia 0-0 Belgium; Canada 1-2 Morocco

Action resumes at the two venues after halftime. No changes in the Canada-Morocco fixture yet while the Belgians make one change at the start of the second half — Romelu Lukaku coming in place of Dries Mertens.

And the Inter Milan striker makes an instant impact, putting in a header in the 49th minute that Croatian keeper Livakovic collects safely in the end.

HALFTIME: Croatia 0-0 Belgium; Canada 1-2 Morocco

Has been quite the eventful first half at the Al Thumama Stadium, where three goals have been scored already with the Moroccans finding themselves ahead at the moment. The Canadians pull one back shortly and the Atlas Lions nearly restore a two-goal lead in stoppage time — En-Nesyri’s goal getting disallowed due to it being offside.

At the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium, however, it has been a relatively dull first half with neither team getting a shot on target, though the Croats nearly found themselves ahead in the 15th minute after getting a penalty that was ultimately overturned by referee Anthony Taylor.

40’ Canada 1-2 Morocco

GOAL! Canada pull one back after all, and don’t count them out of the contest yet! And it’s an own goal from the Moroccans that puts the Canadians ahead, with the ball getting a deflection off Nayef Aguerd following a cross by Sam Adekugbe before beating the Atlas Lions keeper Yassine Bounou

40’ Croatia 0-0 Belgium

Meanwhile it’s still goalless at the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium after 40 minutes of action between Croatia and Belgium. The Vatreni nearly seized the early lead before VAR came to their rescue, preventing Modric from taking a penalty. Both teams have enjoyed fairly similar possession, but finishing has been an issue, with neither side able to get a shot on target so far.

MILESTONE ALERT!

💪🇲🇦 Youssef En Nesyri: The first Moroccan to score at two World Cups#FIFAWorldCup | #Qatar2022 pic.twitter.com/FKWCUwyQtE

— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) December 1, 2022

23’ Canada 0-2 Morocco

GOAL! Another goal for Morocco, and boy are they marching confidently towards the knockouts at the moment! Youssef En-Nesyri scores for the Atlas Lions this time, beating two Canadian defenders as well as the goalkeeper to become the first from his nation to score in two different World Cups.

15’ Croatia 0-0 Belgium

Penalty awarded to Croatia! And it’s Modric who will be taking the kick. Golden opportunity for the Croats to gain the early lead!

But just when Modric is preparing to take the kick, the referee decides to consult VAR to check for a possible offside.

And offside it is! No penalty!

4’ Canada 0-1 Morocco

GOAL! Poor defending from the Canadians as Hakim Ziyech puts the Atlas Lions ahead inside the first five minutes! Fastest ever goal for the Moroccans at the World Cup and one that gives their knockout hopes a major boost!

And we’re underway….

The national anthems have been sung at the two venues that are witnessing the final round of Group F fixtures taking place. Croatia and Morocco get the ball rolling against Belgium and Canada respectively.

Must-win fixture for Belgium:

Roberto Martinez’s ageing ‘Red Devils’ will be knocked out of the 2022 FIFA World Cup if they lose to Croatia today. Should the two sides draw, Belgium will hope for Canada to beat Morocco which will put them level with the Atlas Lions where goal difference will determine the Group F runner-up.

Lineups for the Canada vs Morocco fixture:

Canada: Borjan (c), Johnston, Adekugbe, Miller, Vitoria, Hoilett, Buchanan, Kaye, Larin, Davies, Osorio

Substitutes: St. Clair, Piette, Fraser, Cavallini, Ugbo, Hutchinson, Kone, Pantemis, David, Laryea, Millar, Wotherspoon, Cornelius, Waterman.

Morocco: Bounou, Hakimi, Mazraoui, Amrabat, Aguerd, Saiss (c), Ziyech, Ounahi, Sabiri, Boufal, En-Nesyri

Substitutes: Hamdallah, Zaroury, Mohamedi, Chair, Aboukhlal, Amallah, Ezzalzouli, El Yamiq, Dari, Cheddira, Tagnaouti, El Khannous, Benoun, Attiyat Allah, Jabrane.

Here are the lineups for the Croatia vs Belgium game:

Croatia: Livakovic; Juranovic, Lovren, Gvardiol, Sosa; Modric, Brozovic, Kovacic; Kramaric, Livaja, Perisic.

Substitutes: Grbic, Ivusic, Stanisic, Erlic, Majer, Vlasic, Pasalic, Petkovic, Budimir, Orsic, Vida, Sutalo, Sucic, Jakic.

Belgium: Courtois; Meunier, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Castagne; Dendoncker, Witsel; Carrasco, De Bruyne, Trossard; Mertens.

Substitutes: Mignolet, Casteels, Theate, Faes, Tielemans, Lukaku, Batshuayi, T Hazard, E Hazard, Doku, Vanaken, De Ketelaere, Openda, Debast.