Morocco took the lead against Belgium during their match against Belgium on Sunday, November 27 with Chelsea winger Hakim Ziyech smashing a brilliant free kick to give his team the lead. But unfortunately for the North African country, the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) ruled the goal out for an offside, in what was a decision that caught most of the Moroccan players by surprise.
See the goal here:
What happened?
The Chelsea midfielder was brought down at the edge of the penalty box by Thorgan Hazard down Morocco's right wing. With one minute of injury time at play, Ziyech, known for his dead-ball prowess, attempted an exceptional free-kick which found the bottom corner of the net.
Why was the goal disallowed?
The 29-year-old scored directly from a free-kick but the celebrations were cut short after VAR asked the match referee to check the TV monitor in the stadium for a possible offside. According to the replays, defender Roman Saiss was in an offside position and was deemed to have interfered with the play by blocking the vision of Belgian goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois. Referee Cesar Arturo Ramos Palazuelos overturned the goal and the teams went into the half-time goalless.
What's at stake?
A win for Belgium will confirm their place in the Round of 16 but the European side have been overrun by Morocco constantly. It has been a brilliant defensive performance from the Moroccans and after Abdelhamid Sabiri's wonder goal is sure to break Belgian hearts.
