In the next round, the “Atlas Lions”, who also finished leaders of group F, will face Tuesday 6 the second of group E, which will also be decided this Thursday and in which none of the four teams (Spain, Japan, Costa Rica, Germany) reaches the last day classified or mathematically eliminated.

Hakim Ziyech (minute 4) and Youssef En-Nesyri (23) gave the Moroccans the lead and at minute 40 a goal against Nayed Aguerd cut the Canadians short. In the second half, the marker did not move.

With 7 points, Morocco surprisingly finished top of Group F, ahead of Croatia (5 points), who eliminated Belgium (3rd, 4 points) with a goalless draw between them. Canada closed the standings, without scoring.

After their good start to the tournament, with a goalless draw against Croatia, vice-world champions, and a 2-0 victory over Belgium (number two in the FIFA rankings), the Moroccans only needed a point this Thursday to ensure qualification and they managed the third, in a new demonstration of solvency and efficiency. They received, yes, their first conceded goal in this tournament.

On the other hand, Canada, host of the next World Cup in 2016 with the United States and Mexico, closes its second participation in the tournament with a total of three defeats, just like in the first, in Mexico-1986.

blunder

From the start, Morocco were superior and the first goal of the game came at minute 4, with a missed double from Canada: defender Steven Vitoria fell too short for his goalkeeper Milan Borjan, who left his box to arrive , something forced, and finished by giving the ball on clearance to Ziyech, who lifted slightly and scored on an empty goal.

Canada had a good chance to equalize in the 15th minute as Cyle Larin’s cross was nearly parried by teammate Tajon Buchanan.

But it was the North Africans who succeeded shortly after, with a decisive pass from Achraf Hakimi for En-Nesyri (23rd), who signed the second of his team with a cross shot in the box.

Canada had a 40th-minute break when a pass from Sam Adekugbe was cut off by Nayed Aguerd, who accidentally put the ball into his own goal. His goalkeeper Yassine Bounou ‘Bono’ came to touch, but could not avoid the goal.

In the first half surrender, En Nesyri saw a goal disallowed.

In the second half, Morocco started slower, put the game to sleep and Canada tried to go home with the honors, without success. The North American team had a great chance in the 72nd minute , when 39-year-old veteran Atiba Hutchinson finished with a header and the ball crashed into the crossbar and then bounced off the line.

Knowing that the Croats and the Belgians drew at the same time in their match, Morocco favored the defensive order. He barely arrives in the second half but he controls the situation well, takes the victory and with it the long-awaited classification, as leader in addition to his group.

The Moroccan team now allows itself to dream of surpassing what the memorable team of Zaki Badou, Merry Krimau and Mohamed Timouni achieved, which the Federal Republic of Germany beat in the round of 16 1-0, with a late goal by Lothar Matthaus already in minute 88. The new generation will now try to make history and get their country’s first appearance in the quarter-finals, the round that so far is the ceiling of African football in the World Cups.