Morocco Rally Twice to Beat Haiti 4-2 and Secure Round of 32 Spot

Morocco Rally Twice to Beat Haiti 4-2 and Secure Round of 32 Spot

Morocco, which became the first African team to reach the World Cup semifinals four years ago in Qatar, twice came from behind against a team playing on soccer's biggest stage for the first time in 52 years. Soufiane Rahimi and Gessime Yassine came off the bench to help Morocco rally for a 4-2 victory over Haiti on Wednesday and erase the Caribbean nation's hopes of a first ever point at the World Cup.

The win allowed Morocco to finish Group C on seven points, behind group winner Brazil on goal difference after Brazil crushed Scotland 3-0 on the same day. Haiti took a surprise lead in the 10th minute with a goal that was more than five decades in the making.

Lenny Jospeh's back-heeled flick at the near post beat Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou and he became his country's first scorer at a World Cup since Emmanuel Sanon in 1974, which was Haiti's only other appearance at the tournament . The goal was initially credited as an own goal by Bounou.

Morocco pushed for an equalizer and Achraf Hakimi finally got it in the 39th minute. Haiti keeper Johny Placide managed to get a hand to Bilal El Khannouss' deflected cross, but couldn't prevent Hakimi from bundling the ball over the line for his first World Cup goal in 13 appearances.

Although Morocco looked to be ready to explode for more goals, it was Haiti that again took the lead four minutes later when Wilson Isidor scored from outside the box with a shot that flew into the top corner. There was still time for another goal at the end of a thrilling half with Ismael Saibari sweeping Hakimi's cross past Placide in stoppage time to make it 2-2 at the break .

It was Saibari's third goal of the tournament, making him the first Morocco player to score in three consecutive World Cup games. Morocco dominated after the break and completed the comeback in the 78th minute when Chadi Riad flicked on a corner for Soufiane Rahimi to fire home. Morocco sealed the win in the 89th minute as Rahimi squared for Gessime Yassine to tap in unmarked.

Haiti had a chance to grab a consolation goal, but Bounou made a one-handed save to parry Duckens Nazon's powerful free kick. Haiti capped off its World Cup campaign with three defeats, while Scotland finished third and retained hope of advancing as one of the eight best third-place finishers .