Morocco vs Haiti began with a clean break from Morocco’s usual XI: Mohamed Ouahbi started Sofyan Amrabat for the first time at the World Cup and left several regulars on the bench. The move came in the group-stage finale and gave Morocco a different midfield look from the outset.
Sofyan Amrabat gets the nod
Amrabat’s first World Cup start was the headline selection. Morocco lined up in a 4-2-3-1, with the coach opting for rotation and keeping Noussair Mazraoui, Issa Diop and Ayyoub Bouaddi on the bench. That left the side with a changed structure before the first whistle at 6pm ET, 11pm BST and 8am AEST.
The choice was straightforward: fresh legs, fewer regulars, and a midfield built around a player making his first start of the tournament. In a match where Morocco did not need to mirror a previous selection, the shape on paper signaled a controlled approach rather than a full-strength repeat.
Sébastien Migné reshapes Haiti
Haiti made its own changes after the Brazil match. Sébastien Migné switched to a 4-4-2, with Lenny Joseph paired alongside Frantzdy Pierrot up top. That pairing gave Haiti a more direct front line from the start.
Duckens Nazon was listed among the substitutes. He had not yet played at the tournament while working back from a hamstring injury, even though he is Haiti’s all-time leading goalscorer. That leaves Haiti with its top scorer available only from the bench for now, and it narrows the options if the match demands a change in the final third.
Bench roles change the balance
Morocco’s rotation and Haiti’s altered attacking setup made the lineup sheet the story before kickoff. One side chose to rest key names. The other adjusted its front two after the Brazil match. Both decisions changed how the first minutes could unfold, with Amrabat central to Morocco’s new look and Nazon waiting for a first appearance at the tournament.
For readers tracking Morocco and Haiti, the practical takeaway is simple: the opening shape has already told you how each coach wants the game managed. Morocco’s rotation points to a wider squad read, while Haiti’s bench choice keeps Nazon as a late-game option if the match breaks open.
