FIFA World Cup 2022: Morocco beat Belgium to end 24-year wait

Substitutes Abdelhamid Sabiri and Zakaria Aboukhlal earned Morocco their first World Cup victory in 24 years as they upset a disappointing Belgium side 2-0 in World Cup Group F on Sunday.

The Morocco fans gave the match a vintage World Cup feel in a boiling atmosphere at the Al Thumama Stadium and Sabiri curled a wide free kick past Thibaut Courtois before Aboukhlal netted in stoppage time to put Morocco top of Group F with four points, one ahead of Belgium. 

It was Morocco’s first win at a World Cup since they beat Scotland in 1998. Belgium, who had scraped a 1-0 win over Canada in their first game, looked a pale shadow of the team who finished third in 2018 and climbed to second in the world rankings. They must now battle for a last-16 spot against Croatia.

Iran coach slams Klinsmann

The Iranian soccer federation and national team coach Carlos Queiroz have angrily hit back at former Germany great Jürgen Klinsmann for saying that Iran’s World Cup players use dirty tactics because it’s in their “culture”. 

Both the federation and Queiroz on Sunday called for Klinsmann to resign from Fifa’s technical study group, while the Iranian federation said it demands an apology from the former Germany and United States national team coach. 

The federation asked FIFA for “immediate clarification” on the matter. Iran plays the United States in a decisive Group B match on Tuesday.