Morocco Advances to Round of 32, Defeats Haiti 4-2 at 2026 World Cup

ATLANTA, JOURNALARTA.COM – Morocco secured a place in the Round of 32 at the 2026 World Cup after defeating Haiti 4-2 in the final Group C match at Atlanta Stadium on Thursday morning local time, June 25, 2026. The win put Morocco through as Group C runners-up, behind group leaders Brazil.

The crucial match for the Atlas Lions, as Morocco are known, was competitive from the start. Even though Haiti had already been eliminated, they played freely and made life difficult for Morocco’s back line. Morocco’s progress to the knockout stage extends their surprising run in the world’s biggest football tournament.

Six-Goal Drama in Atlanta

Haiti stunned Morocco by taking the lead in the 15th minute through Duckens Nazon’s strike, leaving Morocco trailing 0-1. Morocco did not panic. Just ten minutes later, Youssef En-Nesyri equalized at 1-1, giving the North African side a timely lift.

Morocco kept building momentum. In the 35th minute, Hakim Ziyech showed his class with a curling free kick that the Haiti goalkeeper could not reach, making it 2-1. That narrow lead held until halftime.

In the second half, Morocco looked more dominant. Sofyan Amrabat extended the gap in the 58th minute with a powerful shot from outside the penalty area, pushing the score to 3-1. Haiti briefly revived their hopes through Mondy Prunier in the 72nd minute, cutting the deficit to 3-2.

But Haiti’s hope faded in the closing stages. Achraf Hakimi sealed Morocco’s 4-2 victory with a quick counterattack finished calmly in the 85th minute. Final statistics showed Morocco had 61% possession, while Haiti held 39%.

Final Group C Standings and What Comes Next

The result confirmed the final Group C standings as follows:

With four points, Morocco earned the right to move on to the Round of 32. They will face the winner of Group D, which could set up a meeting with teams such as Germany or Ecuador. Brazil, meanwhile, will meet the runner-up from Group F.

For Haiti, the 2026 World Cup ends without a point after three losses. Even so, the two goals they scored against Morocco offered some consolation for Les Grenadiers supporters and valuable experience for their young players.

Key Players and Coaches’ Reactions

Morocco’s four goal scorers were the heroes of the night. Youssef En-Nesyri scored the equalizer in the 25th minute, Hakim Ziyech struck a spectacular free kick in the 35th minute, Sofyan Amrabat powered through the opposition from midfield, and Achraf Hakimi sealed the win with his pace and cool finishing.

Morocco head coach Walid Regragui expressed satisfaction. “We targeted six points, but four points were enough to qualify. The Round of 32 objective has been achieved. Now our focus shifts to the knockout stage,” Regragui said at the post-match press conference, quoted Thursday (6/25).

The statement underlines Morocco’s ambition to keep their run alive in the tournament.

On Haiti’s side, coach Jean-Jacques Pierre said he was proud despite the defeat. “We lost, but we are proud to have scored two goals against one of the best teams in Africa. Our young players gained valuable experience that will be very useful in the future,” Pierre said, highlighting the learning aspect for his team.

Meanwhile, Morocco fullback Achraf Hakimi expressed gratitude. “Alhamdulillah we won and qualified. Brazil is a strong team, but we are ready to face the Group D winner next, whoever they are,” Hakimi said, showing the team’s fighting mentality.

This was the first senior-level meeting between Morocco and Haiti at a World Cup. Morocco also hold a solid record against teams from the CONCACAF zone at the World Cup, with three wins, two draws, and only one loss.

Morocco will next play in the Round of 32 on Sunday, July 5, 2026, at 4:00 a.m. WIB, in a match that will be broadcast live. Haiti will return their focus to the 2030 World Cup qualifiers, taking with them the experience of twice troubling Morocco’s defense.