By Francis Onyach - Reporter
Canada, 4 July 2026 - Morocco continued their remarkable rise on the world stage with a commanding 3-0 victory over Canada in the FIFA World Cup Round of 16, becoming the first African nation to reach the quarter-finals in consecutive World Cups.
A brilliant second-half brace from Azzedine Ounahi inspired the Atlas Lions in Houston before substitute Soufiane Rahimi added a stoppage-time goal to seal a memorable victory. The result also ended Canada's historic World Cup campaign on home soil, as the co-hosts bowed out after reaching the knockout stage for the first time.
Canada began the match with confidence, buoyed by a passionate home crowd and their best-ever World Cup run.
Jesse Marsch's side pressed aggressively from the opening whistle and created the better opportunities in the first half. Jonathan David and Tani Oluwaseyi both tested Moroccan goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, who produced two excellent saves to keep the scores level. Morocco struggled to establish their usual rhythm as Canada won midfield battles and forced several turnovers high up the pitch.
The Atlas Lions also suffered an early setback when forward Ismael Saibari, who had already scored three goals at the tournament, was forced off in the first half with a hamstring injury. Soufiane Rahimi replaced him and would later make a decisive impact.
Despite Canada's energetic display, neither side managed to break the deadlock before halftime.
Morocco emerged from the interval with far greater urgency and found the breakthrough five minutes into the second half.
In the 50th minute, Achraf Hakimi cleverly rolled a free-kick into the path of Azzedine Ounahi, who struck a precise right-footed effort from outside the penalty area. His low shot threaded through a crowd of players before nestling into the bottom-right corner beyond Maxime Crépeau, giving Morocco a crucial 1-0 lead.
The goal transformed the match.
Canada continued to push forward in search of an equaliser, but Morocco looked increasingly dangerous whenever they counterattacked.
As Canada committed more players forward, Morocco exploited the spaces left behind.
In the In the 82nd minute, Brahim Díaz led a swift four-on-two counterattack before slipping a perfectly weighted pass to Ounahi inside the penalty area. The midfielder kept his composure, firing a powerful right-footed shot into the top corner to double Morocco's advantage and effectively put the contest beyond Canada's reach.
It was Ounahi's second goal of the evening and one of the finest individual performances of the knockout stage.
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Canada continued to battle until the final whistle, but Morocco delivered one final blow deep into stoppage time.
Another lightning-fast counterattack caught the hosts out, and substitute Soufiane Rahimi calmly finished to make it 3-0 in the 98th minute, capping an outstanding team performance and sparking jubilant celebrations among the Moroccan players and supporters.
The victory carries enormous historical significance.
Morocco became the first African nation ever to reach the FIFA World Cup quarter-finals on more than one occasion, following their historic run to the semi-finals in Qatar in 2022. It also marks their second consecutive appearance in the last eight, underlining the consistency and growth of a team that has firmly established itself among the world's elite.
Head coach Mohamed Ouahbi, who succeeded Walid Regragui earlier this year, has overseen another impressive campaign, blending the defensive resilience that defined Morocco's 2022 success with a more adventurous attacking style.
Although disappointed by the defeat, Canada can reflect with pride on a landmark tournament.
The co-hosts reached the knockout stage for the first time in their history and recorded their first-ever World Cup knockout victory by defeating South Africa in the previous round. However, they ultimately came up against a Moroccan side whose experience in major tournament football proved decisive.
Coach Jesse Marsch praised his players' commitment after the match but acknowledged that Morocco were more
Morocco will now face the winner of the Round of 16 clash between France and Paraguay in the quarter-finals in Boston.
With Yassine Bounou once again proving reliable in goal, Achraf Hakimi orchestrating attacks from the right flank, and Azzedine Ounahi producing a match-winning display, the Atlas Lions have strengthened their credentials as genuine contenders for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
If they continue performing at this level, another deep run on football's biggest stage is well within reach.