Morocco knock out Canada to reach World Cup quarter-finals
Canada, backed by a passionate home crowd, made the brighter start and controlled much of the opening half-hour.
Morocco booked their place in the Fifa World Cup 2026 quarter-finals with a clinical 3-0 victory over co-hosts Canada in Houston Stadium, ending the hosts' historic campaign and keeping the Atlas Lions' dream of another deep World Cup run alive.
Canada, backed by a passionate home crowd, made the brighter start and controlled much of the opening half-hour.
Jesse Marsch's side pressed aggressively and created several promising openings, with Tani Oluwaseyi and Jonathan David forcing Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou into key saves.
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Despite Canada's dominance, Morocco weathered the early storm to reach halftime level.
The breakthrough came five minutes after the restart when Azzedine Ounahi capped a rehearsed free-kick routine. Achraf Hakimi's clever pass caught the Canadian defence off guard before Ounahi calmly slotted home to give the Atlas Lions a crucial lead.
Canada pushed for an equaliser but found Morocco's defence well organised, while Bounou continued to deny every attempt that came his way. Marsch introduced fresh legs in search of a response, yet Morocco remained composed and dangerous on the counterattack.
The North Africans doubled their advantage in the 82nd minute when Ounahi completed his brace, finishing off a swift counterattack after an incisive attacking move.
Deep into stoppage time, substitute Soufiane Rahimi added a third goal, putting the result beyond doubt and sealing an emphatic victory.
The win sends Morocco into the World Cup quarter-finals for the second consecutive tournament after their historic semi-final run in Qatar four years ago.
Mohamed Ouahbi's side will now face the winner of the last-16 clash between France and Paraguay for a place in the semi-finals.
For Canada, the defeat brought an end to a memorable World Cup campaign. The co-hosts reached the knockout stage for the first time in their history and registered their first-ever World Cup victory earlier in the tournament, but were ultimately undone by Morocco's experience and ruthless finishing when it mattered most.
