A chaotic first half that ended level gave way to a dominant second-half display from Morocco, who eventually ran out 4-2 winners over Haiti at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Tuesday. The Atlas Lions held 70% of the ball across 90 minutes and generated an xG of 3.26 compared to Haiti’s 0.52, a gap in quality that the scoreline ultimately reflected. Achraf Hakimi opened his account for the tournament before goals from Ismael Saibari, Sofiane Rahimi and Ghailan Yassine put the contest to bed in the final quarter.
Key Moments
- 10′, Own goal: Morocco goalkeeper Bono turned the ball into his own net to hand Haiti a surprise early lead.
- 39′, Achraf Hakimi equalized for Morocco, leveling the match at 1-1 late in the first half.
- 43′, Wilson Isidor restored Haiti’s lead just four minutes later, making it 2-1 heading into stoppage time.
- 45′, Ismael Saibari pulled Morocco level again right on the stroke of half-time, sending the sides in at 2-2.
- 78′, Sofiane Rahimi put Morocco ahead for the first time in the match, giving the Atlas Lions a 3-2 lead after coming on as a substitute.
- 89′, Ghailan Yassine sealed the win in injury time, completing Morocco’s second-half turnaround.
Tactical Breakdown
Morocco set up in a 4-2-3-1 under coach Mohamed Ouahbi and controlled the ball throughout, completing 478 of 540 passes at an 89% accuracy rate. The Atlas Lions registered 22 shots total, 11 on target, and earned nine corners. Haiti, by contrast, managed just five shots, only one on target, and did not win a single corner kick. On paper, this was a one-sided contest; the scoreline for the first 45 minutes was anything but.
The match turned decisively in the second half once Ouahbi introduced S. Rahimi, A. El Kaabi and pulled off I. Saibari around the 70-minute mark. Morocco’s attack found an extra gear, and Rahimi wasted little time justifying the change by scoring at 78 minutes. Haiti’s response to conceding was frustrated and foul-heavy: they gave away 18 fouls across the match, picked up three yellow cards in the final 12 minutes, and lost composure at a moment when composure was the only thing that could have kept the scoreline respectable.
Haiti’s plan was clear enough: sit deep, absorb pressure and hit on the counter. It almost worked in the first half. Isidor’s goal at 43 minutes showed the threat was real, but the plan had an obvious ceiling. With just 30% possession, no corners and an xG of 0.52 for the full match, Haiti’s goalkeeper Johny Placide was the busiest man on the pitch, making eight saves. Once Morocco found the third goal, there was no realistic way back.
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Verdict
Morocco’s win moves them into the conversation in their group, though the standings here are complicated by the fact that Mexico lead the table with six points from two games, with South Korea and Czechia sitting second and third. Haiti remain without points and without a clear path forward in the tournament. For Morocco, the second-half performance will provide encouragement: once they stopped conceding in transition and asserted their possession game, they were clinical enough to turn a 2-2 draw into a 4-2 victory with some comfort.