Related video above: Hosts Qatar knocked out after Senegal loss, Iran steals last minute win over 10-man Wales

Morocco pulled off yet another World Cup shock on Sunday, and Belgium's aging "Golden Generation" took the hit this time.

The 2-0 upset left Kevin de Bruyne and the 2018 semifinalists in peril of a group-stage exit at what is likely the final World Cup for a highly-talented Belgian group that hasn't managed to convert their promise into prizes.

It might now be too late.

De Bruyne didn't drive Belgium forward against Morocco, captain Eden Hazard was taken off after an hour, and goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois was probably at fault for the opening goal.

"We haven't seen the best Belgium yet," said Roberto Martinez, a Spaniard who has coached the team for six years. "We haven't been ourselves."

Belgium could have become the second team behind defending champion France to advance to the last 16 if it beat Morocco. But it dropped from first to third in Group F and now plays against 2018 World Cup finalist Croatia trying to avoid its earliest elimination since 1998.

Morocco captain Romain Saiss gave his team the lead with a barely noticeable deflection off his hip after a free kick from Abdelhamid Sabiri in the 73rd minute that got under the body of Courtois — for many, the best goalkeeper in the world.

Zakaria Aboukhlal guided a shot into the roof of the net off a pass from Hakim Ziyech in stoppage time to make it 2-0 as Belgium's defense, boasting more than 300 international appearances but anchored by two players in their mid-30s, was beaten by a speedy 22-year-old forward playing at his first World Cup.

Morocco's players kneeled and pressed their heads to the ground in prayer, then leapt up in celebration. Pulling himself up from the ground, Courtois just shook his head.

The second big upset at the first World Cup in the Middle East involved another Arabic nation. Saudi Arabia defeated Argentina in the opening set of group games.

Morocco, which was roared on by thunderous noise from its fans at Al Thumama Stadium, had started in Qatar with a promising 0-0 draw with Croatia.

"We are delighted with that after Croatia and Belgium," Morocco coach Walid Regragui said. "That's absolutely outstanding for Morocco."

Belgium, ranked No. 2 in the world behind Brazil, had won its last seven group games at the World Cup before the upset, but that included a labored 1-0 win over Canada to open this year's tournament.

Even De Bruyne said in a media interview before the World Cup that Belgium's squad was likely too old to win now.

"I don't think any comments will affect a result or a performance," Martinez said, dismissing the suggestion that De Bruyne's interview might have unsettled Belgium.

Morocco had to make a change right before kickoff when goalkeeper Yassine Bounou felt unwell but the North Africans were unaffected and clinched their first win at a World Cup since 1998 and only their third ever. Morocco moved to four points and Croatia is also on four points after beating Canada later Sunday. Belgium has three points and Canada has been eliminated.

Morocco has only ever been past the group stage once at a World Cup, in 1986. And things were in turmoil ahead of the tournament after former coach Vahid Halilhodzic was fired and Regragui was brought in at the end of August, less than three months before the World Cup. Regragui had only three friendlies to make his mark on the team before facing Croatia at the World Cup.

Ziyech recalled

Regragui immediately recalled Ziyech, a Chelsea winger who was exiled from the team under Halilhodzic because of a rift between them. Ziyech curled in a disallowed free kick in the first half, set up the second goal, and was Morocco's best player against Belgium.

Belgian desperation

Martinez brought on forward Romelu Lukaku, the country's record scorer, as a substitute with less than 10 minutes to go in a desperate attempt to get one back when it was 1-0. Lukaku is only just returning from a left thigh problem and Belgium has missed him dearly. Martinez might be forced to start him against Croatia.

Who scored?

Sabiri was initially credited with the first goal from his free kick, but FIFA later amended the official match report to give it to Saiss.

What's next?

The final group games are on Thursday, when Morocco will come back to Al Thumama Stadium to play Canada. Belgium will face Croatia at the same time.

Related video above: Netherlands see off the US 3-1 to book their spot in the quarter-finals

Morocco became the first Arab nation to advance to the World Cup quarterfinals, beating Spain 3-0 in a penalty shootout on Tuesday.

Pablo Sarabia, Carlos Soler and Sergio Busquets missed their penalties for Spain, with Sarabia hitting the post and Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou stopping the other two.

The teams drew 0-0 in regulation and extra time.

Morocco has been the biggest surprise of the tournament and will next face either Portugal or Switzerland.

Morocco is also the only team from outside Europe or South America to make it to the last eight. The team made the round of 16 once before, at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico.

Spain was eliminated by host Russia in a penalty shootout at the 2018 World Cup, and by Italy in the semifinals of last year's European Championship.

It was the fifth straight time Spain played extra time in a knockout round of a major tournament. The team played 120 minutes against Russia and in all three of its knockout games at Euro 2020.

Moroccan fans significantly outnumbered — and were louder — than the Spaniards at Education City Stadium.

Morocco and Spain are close neighbors with a complex geopolitical relationship.

DOHA, Qatar —

To some, it's little more than a meaningless exhibition match. To others, it's a chance to become “immortal.”

The third-place playoff at the World Cup can be a confusing concept.

“You are so disappointed, you’ve just lost a semifinal and then two days later you have to go back out there,” Morocco coach Walid Regragui said Friday.

Regragui's history-making team — the first African nation to reach the World Cup semifinals — will play Croatia on Saturday at Khalifa International Stadium.

“It’s like the booby prize," Regragui said. “I am sorry for speaking like this. I understand that it should be important, I understand that it is better to finish third than fourth, but for, me my takeaway is that we just didn’t get to the final.”

Morocco's run to the semifinals in Qatar provided the most improbable story of the tournament. The team was also the first Arab nation to go so far in soccer's biggest event, generating an outpouring of pride among Arab countries.

After such a wild and dizzying ride, it's understandable that Regragui sounded so flat when looking ahead to the match against Croatia. It's also a measure of his own ambition that he ends an unforgettable tournament for African soccer with a sense of disappointment after being beaten by defending champion France 2-0.

“Yes, finishing third would be great for our image. We would be on the podium," the coach said. “But you know what, even if we win the game tomorrow we won’t have got to the final and we won’t have won the World Cup.”

The atmosphere from the Croatian side has been more upbeat.

The runners-up from the last World Cup in Russia lost to Argentina 3-0 in the other semifinal match, but their players have spoken of the importance of winning another medal.

Forward Andrej Kramarić described it as the chance to “become an immortal hero in your country."

“Eight of us from (the tournament in) Russia understand that feeling of winning a medal at the World Cup and we have a lot of players who haven’t experienced that and would love to do that because it’s something that will stay with you for the rest of their life,” Kramarić said.

Luka Modric, who is likely playing in his last World Cup, had similar thoughts.

“We need to leave everything to win the bronze medal and let our fans celebrate one more time,” he said.

To finish second and third in back-to-back World Cups would further secure the legacy of a golden generation for Croatia.

“Saturday’s match is not a small one for us, but a big final, a fight for third place, for a medal," Croatia coach Zlatko Dalić said. "We have to prepare in every sense. It’s a big thing if we take the bronze medal, that would be great.

"The difference is being third or fourth in the world, we will do everything to do that.”

Morocco and Croatia have already played each other at this year's World Cup, a 0-0 draw in the group stage.

“We know that Croatia got a lot of stick because they weren’t able to beat Morocco,” Regragui said. “Morocco was one of the underdogs and now we both reached the semifinals.”

Injured Morocco center back Romain Saiss, the team's captain, will miss the game after lasting only 21 minutes against France. Noussair Mazraoui, also substituted in that match, is a doubt.

“We have really, really pushed our players to the limits, but they still want to go out tomorrow and play again," Regragui said. "But we are not going to be taking risks tomorrow for some of our players.”

IGHRAN, Morocco — Rescuers are inching closer to reaching a 5-year-old boy trapped for three days in a well in Morocco, in an operation hampered by concerns about ground stability that has captivated the North African country.

The boy, identified as Rayan, fell into a 32-meter (105-feet) deep well outside his home in a village in Morocco’s northern Chefchaouen province Tuesday evening.

According to NBC News, the boy's father said he was repairing the well when his son fell in.

Search crews first used five bulldozers over days to dig vertically to a depth of more than 31 meters, according to Morocco’s official MAP news agency.

Then on Friday, they started excavating a horizontal tunnel to reach the trapped boy, MAP said, adding that experts in topographical engineering were called upon for help.

Citing a local publication, The New York Times reported that two rescuers were manually digging the final inches that separate them from the boy.

A helicopter is reportedly in the area to take the boy to a hospital when he is pulled from the well.