Morocco Advances to Round of 32, Defeats Haiti 4-2
Morocco advances to the Round of 32 after beating Haiti 4-2 in Atlanta, with Hakim Ziyech and Achraf Hakimi among the scorers.
ATLANTA — Morocco Advances to Round of 32, Defeats Haiti 4-2 at 2026 World Cup after a hard-fought Group C match at Atlanta Stadium on Thursday morning local time, June 25, 2026. The result sent the Atlas Lions through as runners-up behind Brazil, while Haiti exited the tournament without a point.
It was a nervous night for Morocco. Haiti, already eliminated, played with freedom and forced the North Africans to chase the game before quality told in the second half.
Haiti strike first, Morocco answer fast
Duckens Nazon gave Haiti an early lead in the 15th minute, and for a moment Morocco looked rattled. The gap closed quickly. Youssef En-Nesyri levelled in the 25th minute, swinging the momentum back toward the Atlas Lions.
Ten minutes later, Hakim Ziyech produced the kind of moment that changes a group-stage night. His curling free kick left the Haiti goalkeeper with no chance and put Morocco 2-1 ahead.
That goal mattered. Morocco settled after that, moved the ball with more patience, and stopped inviting pressure. The lead held through halftime, but Haiti never stopped pressing for an opening.
Amrabat and Hakimi finish the job
Morocco took control after the break. Sofyan Amrabat made it 3-1 in the 58th minute with a powerful strike from outside the area, a goal that rewarded Morocco’s growing grip on midfield.
Haiti still had a say. Mondy Prunier pulled one back in the 72nd minute to make it 3-2 and briefly raise the temperature inside the stadium. It was a proper contest again. Very much alive.
But Morocco shut the door late on. Achraf Hakimi broke forward on the counterattack and finished calmly in the 85th minute to seal the 4-2 win. Morocco finished with 61% possession, compared with Haiti’s 39%, and that control showed once the match opened up.
Why the result matters
The scoreline did more than confirm qualification. It gave Morocco a clean route into the knockout rounds and preserved momentum in a tournament where fine margins can decide everything. For a side that reached the semi-finals in 2022, the pressure now shifts from surviving the group to proving that run was no fluke.
For Haiti, the ending was harsh but not empty. They lost all three group matches, yet the two goals against Morocco offered a rare attacking return and a useful lesson for a young squad that spent long spells under pressure. That kind of experience can travel.
Morocco head coach Walid Regragui said the objective had been met. “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 after the match, quoted Thursday (6/25).
Haiti coach Jean-Jacques Pierre took a broader view of 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.
Hakimi, who scored Morocco’s fourth, said the squad is ready for what comes next. “Alhamdulillah we won and qualified. Brazil is a strong team, but we are ready to face the Group D winner next, whoever they are,” he said.
Morocco now move into the Round of 32 on Sunday, July 5, 2026, at 4:00 a.m. WIB. Their next opponent will come from Group D, with a possible meeting against Germany or Ecuador still on the table. For Haiti, the campaign ends here — with three defeats, two goals against Morocco, and one last reminder that they belonged on the same pitch.
