Morocco achieved a thrilling victory over Brazil, winning 2-1 in the second round of Group C at the Under-20 World Cup, thereby maintaining its lead in the group after defeating Spain in the opening match.
With this win, the Moroccan team secured its progression to the knockout stage, raising its points tally to six following a 2-0 triumph against Spain in their first match.
The first half ended in a scoreless draw, with both teams exchanging possession and mounting attacking attempts, but neither succeeded in finding the net.
At the start of the second half, Brazil pressed hard for a goal, but Morocco’s defense stood strong, and goalkeeper Benchaouch excelled with several key saves. In the 55th minute, Saad El Haddad nearly opened the scoring for Morocco with a solo effort and a powerful shot, but the Brazilian goalkeeper made an outstanding save.
Just five minutes later, Othmane Maima stunned the crowd with a spectacular overhead kick from a cross by Jusem, giving Morocco the lead at 1-0. Despite Brazil’s relentless efforts in the 65th minute and continued threats against Benchaouch’s goal, the Moroccan defense remained resolute.
In the 76th minute, El Zabeiri extended Morocco’s lead with a second goal (2-0), providing some breathing room despite ongoing Brazilian pressure until the 84th minute.
In the closing moments of the match, the referee awarded Brazil a penalty following a VAR review due to a rough challenge on one of their forwards in the 88th minute. Lago Teodoro successfully converted the penalty in the 90th minute, scoring to reduce the deficit to 2-1.
