FIFA World Cup 2022: Morocco’s goalkeeper vanishes before the start of the game against Belgium

Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou disappeared just after the completion of the national anthem, in the game against Belgium, on Sunday, November 28 in the 2022 FIFA World Cup. It was moments before the group game against Belgium. Bounou was named in the starting XI, came along with the team, and sang the national anthem, but when the game started, the reserve keeper Monir El Kajoui was seen in Morocco’s goal. 

There was no official statement from the Morocco team or match officials at Al Thumama Stadium, Moroccan TV channel 2M tweeted on their account that Bounou was not feeling well right before the kickoff and was asked to be replaced. The 31-year-old is Morocco’s number-one goalkeeper and plays for Spanish club Sevilla in La Liga. He played in Morocco’s opening game against Croatia which was a 0-0 draw. 

Can Morocco qualify for the knockouts?

The BBC commentators took 38 minutes to notice that Morocco changed the goalkeeper just before the kick-off and continuously they called Munir Mohamedi by the wrong name. Morocco won their fixture against Belgium last night. They defeated the latter 2-0. The goal scorers for the Moroccan team were their defender Romain Saiss in the 73rd minute and the other one scored by the substitute attacker Zakaria Aboukhlal in the 90+2 minutes. 

Currently, Morocco is placed second in their group with four points. They are just behind Croatia, who has four points as well but they are ahead when it comes to goal difference. Croatia has a goal difference of +3 and on the other hand, and Morocco has a goal difference of +2.  

Morocco will be playing their last game against Croatia and Belgium will face Canada in their last match. Seeing the last two encounters and the form of teams in this group, it would be a little easy for Croatia and Belgium to qualify for the knockouts than Morocco. Hosts Qatar and Canada are the two teams who have been already shown an exit from the FIFA World Cup 2022.