# Are Morocco the true dark horses at the 2022 World Cup?

URL: https://technosports.co.in/are-morocco-the-true-dark-horses-wc/  
Published: 2022-12-02  
Updated: 2022-12-02  
Author: Arsh Das

Morocco became the first, and only Arab team to qualify for the knockout stages of the 2022 World Cup yesterday. The Atlas Lions defeated Canada 2-1 yesterday, and topped their group – which also consisted of Croatia and Belgium. 

The two teams were considered the favourites to make it through to the knockout stages. But, it was always going to be a tough group considering the quality of players involved. And Morocco have shown that anything is possible, with their remarkable performance so far. 

## Morocco make it through to R16: Are they the dark horses at the 2022 World Cup? 

> Morocco are the first African team to win their group since Nigeria in 1998 🇲🇦 [pic.twitter.com/1QbAnEgEP4](https://t.co/1QbAnEgEP4)
>
> — ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) [December 2, 2022](https://twitter.com/ESPNFC/status/1598648173483941889?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

The Atlas Lions were able to defeat World number 2 [Belgium 2-0](https://technosports.co.in/2022/11/28/morocco-2-0-belgium-red-devils-shock/) in their second group stage game. Prior to that, they started the competition with a 0-0 draw against 2018 finalists Croatia. 

They have become the first African team to win a World Cup group since Nigeria in 1998. Moreover, they have earned passage into the knockout stages for only the second time in their history, the last time being [1986](https://twitter.com/brfootball/status/1598363318833491968?s=20&t=HAAPCz9VRWYhEVAVjg9FOw). 

Having kept a clean sheet against two of the best sides in the world, and with an attack that is operating fluidly, Morocco will prove to be a handful for Spain in the knockout stages. And who is to say that they will not make it through to the quarter finals?