* After historic 2-1 win over Canada to garner 7 points
* First African nation to win a World Cup group since 1998
* First African nation to qualify unbeaten from a World Cup group since 2002
* Highest group stage points tally of any African nation in World Cup history
By Al Thumama, Al Jazeera in Qatar
Morocco defeated Canada 2-1 to book their place in the Round of 16 of Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup — joining Senegal, who also beat Ecuador 2-1 on Tuesday.
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Hakim Ziyech gave Morocco the lead in the 4th minute, before Youssef En-Nesyri made it 2-0 while Nayef Aguerd’s own goal in the 40th minute gave Canada some hope, but nothing changed for the remaining part of the game.
It is the second time in Morocco’s history that they have progressed past the group stage of the World Cup, the first being in 1986 in Mexico.
They are also the first African nation to top a World Cup group since 1998 and also the first African nation to qualify unbeaten from a World Cup group since 2002 as well as being the highest group stage points tally (7) of any African nation in World Cup history.
Canada, meanwhile, will return home without earning any points, as they had done in their only other World Cup appearance, also in Mexico, 36 years ago.
After leading Senegal to their first-ever Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title during the Cameroon 2021, coach Aliou Cissé now leads the Lions of Teranga into the World Cup Round of 16 for just the second time ever.
Cisse came into prominence in 2002 when he captained Senegal to their first AFCON final and in the same year he led his teammates to their first World Cup quarter-final.
After hanging his boots, he was appointed the national team coach, who led the Teranga Lions to their second AFCON final 2019 before clinching the coveted for trophy in Cameroon.
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Captain Kalidou Koulibaly sealed the African champion’s progression to the knockout phase with a dramatic 70th-minute winner just moments after Moises Caicedo had drawn Ecuador level.
If the score had stayed 1-1, Ecuador would have advanced from Group A, and Senegal would have been eliminated.
Meanwhile, the Netherlands beat Qatar 2-0 to cap a miserable end to the tournament for the hosts, who were rooted in last place, having failed to win a single point from their three games.
Another African-born player, 22-year-old Alphonso Davies has made history by scoring the Canada’s first-ever a FIFA World Cup.
The goal against Croatia came just 68 seconds into the game and sent the North American side’s supporters into raptures inside Khalifa International Stadium.
But 2018 finalists Croatia did not read the script as they hit back to win 4-1 — ending Canadian dreams by sending them out of the tournament following back-to-back defeats.
His coach, John Herdman said: “It was a great start and a proud moment for the fans in the stadium and people back home. We got to celebrate something we have been waiting for for a long time.”
His background is one of incredible resilience which has seen the 22-year-old experience a meteoric rise. Born in a refugee camp in Ghana in 2000, Davies’ parents fled civil war in Liberia and moved to Canada as refugees when he was five.
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He plays for Bayern Munich — one of Europe’s biggest sides — after the Bundesliga champions paid a then-Major League Soccer record £9.84m to sign him from Vancouver Whitecaps as a 17-year-old in 2018.
In 2016, he became the second youngest player to play in the MLS and received his Canadian citizenship in 2017.
He won the Bundesliga in his debut season with Bayern Munich in 2019 and went on to the Champions League in 2020 before etching the historical moment in Qatar for Canada’s first-ever goal at the FIFA World Cup.
Former England defender Martin Keown said on BBC One: “Alphonso Davies’ pace is stunning. When he wins the ball he travels with such pace. I’ve seen him play centre-forward for Canada. They see him as their Gareth Bale.
“Davies really is an incredible player. Canada just need two or three of him on the pitch.”—Additional reporting by Shamoon Hafez, BBC Sport & Maravi Express
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