Belgian police detained dozens of people on Sunday following riots in Brussels following Morocco’s 2-0 World Cup victory over Belgium.
Morocco won their first World Cup match since 1998 – and its third ever – securing a sensational 2-0 win over world No. 2 Belgium to ensure it can still qualify for the knockout stage for the second time in its history.
The Atlas Lions roared from raucous support inside the stadium as they overcame a disallowed goal on the stroke of halftime to score two spectacular strikes in the second half.
In a statement to CNN, Brussels police said, “At approximately 3:22 p.m., dozens of masked individuals sought a confrontation with security services, threatening public safety.”
According to Reuters, there were several riots in the Belgian capital where dozens of football fans, some draped in Moroccan flags, clashed with riot police, setting a car and electric scooter on fire.
“The decision was made to proceed immediately to a police intervention with the use of water cannons and tear gas,” Brussels police said.
“Peace returned around 7 p.m. and preventive patrolling is still in place in the relevant areas,” the statement concluded.