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Morocco defeated Canada 3-0 this Saturday at the NRG Stadium in Houston and qualified for the quarter-finals of the 2026 World Cup. The "Atlas Lions" secured the match in the second half with a double from Azzedine Ounahi and a final goal by Soufiane Rahimi.
The first half was intense but goalless. The tension built up in the card count: five yellow cards before the break, with Halhal (min. 20), Hakimi (min. 40), and Ounahi (min. 45) booked for Morocco, and Laryea (min. 40) and Jonathan David (min. 43) for Canada. The physical and competitive atmosphere set the tone for the first 45 minutes.
In the second half, Morocco took definitive control. Ounahi opened the scoring in the 50th minute with a strike that broke the deadlock and changed the course of the match. The same player extended the lead in the 82nd minute, completing a decisive brace. In added time, Rahimi—who had come on as a substitute in the 22nd minute for Saibari—capped off the scoring with a final 3-0 in the 90th minute, highlighting a performance of great collective effectiveness.
The match statistics present a striking paradox: Canada dominated possession (55% compared to Morocco's 45%) and had more shots on target (12 shots compared to four), yet both teams had the same number of shots on goal, with three each. The Canadians also outperformed their rivals in corners (11 to one) and committed more fouls (24 to 14). Each team received four yellow cards, and there were no expulsions. Morocco was simply more effective with the chances they created.
For Canada, the tournament ends here. The team had written a historic chapter by advancing past the knockout stage in a men's World Cup for the first time, with a 1-0 victory over South Africa in the Round of 16 on June 29, thanks to a goal from Eustáquio in the 90+2 minute. As the host country alongside the United States and Mexico, the Canadians finished second in Group B with four points, after drawing with Bosnia, thrashing Qatar 6-0, and losing 2-1 to Switzerland.
Morocco, on the other hand, continues its impressive run in this tournament. The African team reached the knockout stage after eliminating the Netherlands in penalties (3-2) after drawing 1-1 in regulation time on June 29 at the BBVA Stadium in Monterrey. In the group stage, they finished second in Group C with seven points, with results that included a 1-1 draw against Brazil, a 1-0 victory over Scotland, and a 4-2 win against Haiti.
The Moroccan team advances to the quarter-finals with the support of its historic performance at Qatar 2022, where it reached the semi-finals and became the best African team in the history of the World Cup. This victory against Canada confirms that the "Atlas Lions" are one of the most formidable teams in the tournament.
In the quarterfinals, Morocco will face the winner of the match between Paraguay and France, scheduled for July 9 in Boston.
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