Morocco confirmed their progress to the World Cup last 32 but twice had to come from behind to get the better of plucky Haiti with a 4-2 win in an action-packed game on Wednesday.
Morocco finished level on seven points with Brazil, who beat Scotland 3-0, but are runners-up on goal difference and will play the Group F winners, Netherlands, Japan or Sweden, on Monday in the first knockout round.
Haiti, the first side eliminated from the 48-team tournament after losing their second group game, went ahead early thanks to an own goal, but African Footballer of the Year Achraf Hakimi equalised in the 39th minute.
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Wilson Isidor’s thunderbolt restored Haiti’s lead in the 43rd, but the match was soon level again as Ismael Saibari scored his third goal in as many World Cup appearances.
It took until the 78th minute for Morocco to take the lead when substitute Soufiane Rahimi thrashed the ball home from close range after Haiti failed to clear a corner and 20-year-old Gessime Yassine made it 4-2 in the last minute.
Hakimi said after the game: “It was a crazy game, too many goals but we are really delighted to qualify for the next round and now we have to keep going.
“Haiti were already out of the competition but showed great spirit and made us suffer but in the end we did it.”
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