Morocco beat Haiti 4-2 in Atlanta on Wednesday but finished second in World Cup Group C behind Brazil on goal difference.
Haiti twice led through a Yassine Bounou own goal and Wilson Isidor’s long-range strike. Achraf Hakimi and Ismael Saibari replied before half-time for Morocco.
Haiti opened the scoring after 10 minutes when Jean-Kevin Duverne reached the by-line, and Lenny Joseph’s flick went in off Bounou. The goal ended Haiti’s 52-year wait for a World Cup goal.
Hakimi equalised in the 39th minute after Jonny Placide parried Bilal El Khannouss’s effort. Isidor restored Haiti’s lead four minutes later with a strike from outside the area.
Saibari made it 2-2 before the interval with his third goal in three World Cup games. He finished from Hakimi’s low cross as Morocco recovered from another defensive lapse.
Morocco pushed for a bigger win because Brazil were beating Scotland in Miami. Coach Mohamed Ouahbi later replaced Saibari and Brahim Diaz as Morocco turned attention toward the last 32.
Read: Brazil Scotland 3-0: Vinicius Sends Brazil Through
Soufiane Rahimi gave Morocco the lead when his deflected strike from a corner flew into the top corner. He then set up Gessime Yassine, who scored into an empty net.
Morocco will head to Monterrey for a likely last-16 match against the Netherlands or Japan on Monday. Haiti exited without a point but scored its first World Cup goals since 1974.
