The Qatar World Cup 2022 has seen some of the biggest upsets in football history, and late goals in the Belgium vs Morocco game has continued the trend of shocking World Cup results. 

Late goals from Morocco’s Abdelhamid Sabiri and Zakaria Aboukhlal gave the team the win no one saw coming. 

The Belgium keeper is to blame for the first goal, as a Moroccan, free-kick beat him at his near post, just 17 minutes before the end.

The second goal came in stoppage time when Aboukhlal fired Hakim Ziyech’s cutback into the roof of the net. Morocco had put in an incredible second-half performance, whilst Belgium played a slow and boring game. 

Morocco’s late goals sparked celebrations in the stands of Al Thumama Stadium from thousands who had created an incredible atmosphere for their team to thrive. 

Morocco are above Belgium on four points, and Croatia now tops Group F on goal difference after they beat Canada 4-1. 

Croatia and Morocco top Group 

Belgium started out fairly well, breaking through the Morocco defence early on, but the Belgium pressure didn’t last long. They continued to dominate possession but chances to score became few and far between. 

Morocco were able to keep Belgium at bay – and quite easily, they began to grow into the game. 

A VAR decision ruled out a goal just before half-time, and whilst they went into the break at 0-0, Morocco were jubilant.  

Perhaps the goal, although ruled out by VAR, had an impact on Belgium because the team did not improve in the second half. They managed a few shots from distance but continued to play a stodgy game. 

Morocco, on the other hand, played as lively as their supporters in the stands and went close to taking the lead when Sofiane Boufal cut in from the left and sent a shot bouncing wide. 

The team kept coming forward and got their reward when Sabiri’s clever free-kick found Courtois dozing a set-piece again. 

Kevin De Bruyne says Belgium ‘too old’ to win the World Cup 

Belgium’s boss Roberto Martínez has reacted to star player Kevin De Bruyne’s claim the team are too old to win the World Cup, insisting that the team have not been distracted by De Bruyne’s comments. 

The head coach did however concede that his team played with fear in their defeat by Morocco. 

In an interview with the Guardian – published on Saturday, De Bruyne claimed Belgium had “no chance” of winning the World Cup because “we’re too old.” The team are ranked second in the world according to FIFA. 

Belgium were poor again in their second game of the Qatar World Cup. 

“This is the first time I’ve heard those comments,” said Martínez, the Belgium head coach. “At a World Cup players have to speak to the media every day, 90% of it will be positive but there are always one or two lines that don’t fit into the context.

“We are all professionals and we know how to perform. A player is allowed to air their view. We’ve been together for six years now and comments won’t help us to win. Maybe it was a double-bluff. It’s what happens behind the scenes that matters.”

De Bruyne’s performance was poor again and the head coach was asked why Belgium had not seen the best of De Bruyne at this World Cup. “We haven’t seen the best of Belgium yet,” he replied. “We are not at our best. It’s not just Kevin, it’s the whole team. We didn’t play with freedom. Football is a team sport and when it works together the individual can reach a higher level.”

Belgium players ‘lacking enjoyment on the pitch’ 

The coach said the team’s biggest problem was the weight of expectation on his players and their lack of enjoyment on the pitch as a consequence. 

“I don’t see us enjoying our football or playing with joy,” he said. “We don’t play with joy and maybe that’s because of the weight we are carrying on our shoulders. We’ve played the last two games like we have something to lose.

“It’s not a lack of quality or the technical aspect. We were better on the ball than against Canada but the link-up and the last pass was missing. We played with a fear of losing. I don’t see the enjoyment we usually play with and that’s something we need to work on.

“We haven’t anything to lose any more. We will play to win against Croatia and that will be the start of us at this World Cup.”