Morocco marched into the quarterfinals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, delivering a clinical 3-0 win over tournament co-hosts Canada in their Round of 16 clash played at the Houston Stadium last night.
Azzedine Ounahi was the star of the night, netting a brilliant brace, while Soufiane Rahimi sealed the emphatic victory with a late goal. Canada, despite making history by reaching the knockout stages for the first time, struggled to break through the Moroccan defense and failed to get on the scoresheet.
The deadlock was broken in the 50th minute when Ounahi found the back of the net, capitalizing on a precise assist from Moroccan captain Achraf Hakimi. Ounahi struck again in the 82nd minute to double Morocco's lead, putting the game well out of Canada's reach. Rahimi then put the icing on the cake, scoring in the final minute of second-half injury time to seal the victory.
With this victory, Morocco—making their seventh World Cup appearance—have advanced to the quarterfinals for the second time in their history. The Atlas Lions previously made a historic run in 2022, becoming the first African nation to reach a World Cup semifinal. Interestingly, Morocco had also defeated Canada -1 during the group stage of that 2022 tournament.
For Canada, the defeat brings a bittersweet end to their campaign. While they celebrated their first-ever knockout stage appearance, they also earn the tough distinction of being the first host nation eliminated from the 2026 tournament. The other two co-hosts, the United States and Mexico, still remain in contention for a spot in the quarterfinals.
Morocco will now face the winner of the Round of 16 match between France and Paraguay for a highly anticipated spot in the semifinals.
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