Morocco deny – Late goals from Soufiane Rahimi and Gessime Yassine denied Haiti their first-ever World Cup point as Morocco fought back twice to win in Atlanta. Morocco’s victory leaves them unable to top Group C, while Haiti’s night still included a rare landmark: their fir
The noise was already building in Atlanta when Haiti struck twice—and for a moment it looked like the Caribbean side might steal something historic at this World Cup.
But Morocco had other plans. Soufiane Rahimi and Gessime Yassine scored late to deny Haiti their first-ever World Cup point, turning a game that had been so full of promise into heartbreak for a team ranked 83rd in the world.
Haiti had taken the lead twice, pushing their totals higher than the tournament record they had previously set. In a group stage where they were already heading toward elimination after defeats by Scotland and Brazil. this match still carried the kind of stakes you can feel in a stadium: not survival. but the possibility of a moment that would outlive the statistics.
That moment arrived early. In the 10th minute, Lenny Joseph’s flicked finish came off Morocco keeper Yassine Bounou and crossed the line. The goal was credited as an own goal. denying Joseph the honour of becoming the first Haiti player to score at the World Cup since Emmanuel Sanon. who scored twice in 1974.
Morocco responded in the 39th minute when Achraf Hakimi bundled the ball home to bring the game level. The Haiti goalkeeper, Johny Placide, failed to get a strong enough hand to Brahim Diaz’s strike, and Hakimi made sure the rebound didn’t linger.
Then Haiti produced the kind of highlight football rarely comes with losing effort. Sunderland striker Wilson Isidor fired into the top corner from 25 yards, sparking jubilant scenes among Haiti fans two minutes before half-time.
Morocco answered again before the break. In first-half stoppage time, Ismael Saibari scored his third of the tournament after Hakimi pulled the ball back into his path in a slick move.
Placide’s work kept Haiti alive through long stretches. He pulled off a series of saves to deny Morocco, but the late phase belonged to the home side.
With 12 minutes to go, substitute Soufiane Rahimi struck. The effort deflected off Haiti defender Ricardo Ade, and it was the kind of finish that turns momentum into inevitability.
A minute later—then again closer to the finish—Yassine sealed it. Rahimi managed to keep the ball in play, something the video assistant referee confirmed, and with a minute to go, Yassine turned it home.
The final score was enough to keep Morocco moving, but it wasn’t enough to change what comes next for them in Group C.
Brazil comfortably beat Scotland in Miami, meaning Morocco won’t top the group. With their place confirmed, Morocco will now face either the Netherlands, Japan or Sweden in the last 32.
For Haiti, the elimination is final. Yet the night still holds a mark they can point to for years: a World Cup goal that arrived for the first time in 52 years. even after a 10th-minute opener became an own goal. What they built in the match—two leads. doubled tournament goals tally. and two late punches from Morocco—will be remembered even if a point never arrived.
Morocco vs Haiti Atlanta FIFA World Cup Group C Soufiane Rahimi Gessime Yassine Achraf Hakimi Ismael Saibari Wilson Isidor Lenny Joseph Yassine Bounou Johny Placide