World Cup 2022: Belgium stunningly bows out of tournament after Croatia tie, Morocco moves on

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Belgium came into the World Cup as the No. 2 team in the final FIFA rankings but, with the knockout stage nearly set, they find themselves going home.

Failing to capitalize on the "golden generation" of the national team, Belgium’s tie with Croatia, coupled with Morocco’s 2-1 win over Canada, meant they were eliminated from contention. Croatia and Morocco will move onto the knockout round from Group F.

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Croatia's Ivan Perisic, front, goes up for the ball against Belgium players during the World Cup group F match at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium in Al Rayyan, Qatar, Thursday, Dec. 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

Romelu Lukaku had a great opportunity for Belgium in the 90th minute. A cross went off the head of a Croatian defender and then off Lukaku’s body. However, the ball spun away from the goal and into the arms of Croatian goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic.

Lukaku also missed a couple of other chances to put the ball home. 

Croatia nailed down the 0-0 tie after that.

For Morocco, they were able to go up 2-1 in the first 45 minutes and held Canada scoreless in the second half.

Belgium's Romelu Lukaku reacts at the end of the World Cup group F match against Croatia in Al Rayyan, Qatar, Thursday, Dec. 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

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Hakim Ziyech started the scoring for Morocco in the fourth minute of the match, getting the ball past goalkeeper Milan Borjan from yards away. Borjan made a critical mistake and was out too far. His clear went awry and Ziyech capitalized.

Youssef En-Nesyri added to the scoring in the 23rd minute. Morocco may have had a clean sheet too if it wasn’t for a goal in the 40th minute that put Canada on the board.

Morocco celebrates after defeating Canada in a group F World Cup match at the Al Thumama Stadium in Doha, Qatar on Thursday, Dec. 1, 2022. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)

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Croatia finished runner-up in the World Cup in 2018, losing to France in the finals. Morocco is back in the World Cup knockout stage for the second time in its nation’s history. They made it that far in 1986.