Morocco booked their place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 quarter-finals with a commanding 3-0 victory over co-hosts Canada in Houston, powered by a second-half brace from Azzedine Ounahi before substitute Soufiane Rahimi sealed the win in stoppage time.
The Atlas Lions, who became the first African nation to reach a World Cup semi-final at Qatar 2022, will now face either France or Paraguay in the quarter-finals in Boston on 9 July as they continue another impressive tournament run.
Canada, meanwhile, saw their historic campaign come to an end after reaching the last 16 for the first time. Despite the defeat, the co-hosts leave the tournament having secured their first-ever World Cup victory.
Canada controlled much of the opening half, pressing aggressively and creating the better opportunities. Their best chance came after Ali Ahmed capitalised on a defensive error to release Tani Oluwaseyi through on goal, but Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou produced a crucial left-footed save to keep the match level.
Morocco struggled to settle early and suffered another setback when leading tournament scorer Ismael Saibari was forced off with an apparent muscle injury after 22 minutes, prompting Mohamed Ouahbi to introduce Rahimi.
The momentum shifted immediately after the break as Morocco struck through a well-executed set-piece. Achraf Hakimi squared the ball from the right to Ounahi, who unleashed a first-time effort from the edge of the penalty area that flew beyond Maxime Crepeau into the bottom corner.
The goal transformed Morocco’s performance as they began to dictate the contest. Although Tajon Buchanan tested Bounou with a low effort, Ounahi doubled the lead by finishing emphatically into the roof of the net after a swift counter-attack orchestrated by Brahim Diaz.
The midfielder’s first World Cup goals also earned him a place in the history books, becoming the first African player to score twice in a World Cup knockout match since Senegal’s Henri Camara against Sweden in 2002.
Rahimi nearly added a third when his header rattled the crossbar, but the substitute eventually got his reward in stoppage time, racing onto Diaz’s through ball before calmly finishing to complete a convincing victory.
Morocco’s dominant second-half display ensured their World Cup journey continues, while Canada’s memorable run ends with valuable experience gained on home soil ahead of co-hosting the tournament.
