ATLANTA — Morocco continued to live up to their underdog billing at the World Cup with a 4-2 victory over Haiti on Wednesday, but flashes of brilliance have been mixed with ragged spells across the group stage, according to the report. The win ensured qualification from Group C and sets up a last-32 tie in Monterrey, Mexico, on June 29 against either the Netherlands, Japan or Sweden.
Manager Mohamed Ouahbi, appointed in March, praised the performance but acknowledged areas for improvement. “I’m happy, we just won a World Cup game,” he said. “We had a lot of possession and a lot of chances. They scored two goals and two other efforts and we should have managed parts of the game better. We were on top of it for most of the game. It was not an easy game, but we had a lot of positive points.”
The match offered a glimpse of the more expansive approach Ouahbi promised after replacing Walid Regragui, who led Morocco to the semifinals in Qatar. Brahim Díaz found space in the centre and laid a pass to the left; the cross was finished by Achraf Hakimi, who had surged forward from right back. The goal was described in the report as emblematic of Ouahbi’s vision in motion.
There are signs of a stronger overall team, but vulnerability remains. Morocco were dominant in the early stages against Brazil and created enough chances to have decisively beaten Scotland, yet periods where they looked uncomfortable have persisted. The report notes that combining traditional North African defensive organisation with better attacking output would make Morocco difficult to beat, but the knockout rounds leave less margin for error.
For Haiti, the match provided rare World Cup highlights. Supporters packed Atlanta Stadium with drums and trumpets to celebrate an early own goal via goalkeeper Yassine Bounou as their first World Cup goal since 1974. Sunderland striker Wilson Isidor added a spectacular equaliser, rifling a shot into the top corner that stunned the stadium.
