Match Report: Canada 0-3 Morocco

Morocco became the first team to reach the quarter-finals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after beating Canada 3-0 at Houston Stadium on Saturday.

The Atlas Lions had to survive a difficult first half as Canada created the better chances, but Morocco produced an excellent second-half display to seal victory. Azzedine Ounahi scored twice before substitute Soufiane Rahimi added a third late in the game.

Canada started the game on a positive note and put Morocco under constant pressure from the opening whistle. The co-hosts almost took the lead in the 10th minute when Tani Oluwaseyi turned brilliantly inside the box and fired towards goal, but Moroccan goalkeeper Yassine Bono made an excellent save to keep the scores level.

Morocco suffered an early blow when their standout performer of the tournament, Ismael Saibari, was forced off with an injury midway through the first half. Soufiane Rahimi replaced him just 22 minutes into the match.

The Atlas Lions struggled to settle before the break, with Achraf Hakimi, Ounahi and Bilal El Khannouss all receiving yellow cards as the first half ended goalless.

Morocco looked like a different side after the restart and broke the deadlock five minutes into the second half. From a free kick on the right, Hakimi played a clever low pass to the edge of the area instead of crossing into the box. Ounahi met it with a low shot that found the bottom corner to make it 1-0.

As Canada pushed forward in search of an equaliser, Morocco found more space on the counter-attack. In the 82nd minute, Brahim Díaz set up eventual Man of the Match Azzedine Ounahi, who calmly finished for his second goal of the match and doubled Morocco’s lead.

Morocco almost added a third moments later when Ounahi crossed for the unmarked Rahimi, but his header struck the underside of the crossbar.

Rahimi eventually got his goal deep into stoppage time, finishing off a swift counter-attack to complete a convincing 3-0 victory and send Morocco into the quarter-finals. With his second assist of the game, Brahim Díaz became the first African player to provide four assists in a single World Cup tournament, and thanks to Morocco’s spirited win, he now has at least one more opportunity to extend that record.

Co-hosts Canada’s memorable World Cup journey comes to an end, but there is plenty for Les Rouges to be proud of. Reaching the knockout stages for the first time marked a historic achievement and showcased the steady progress of Canadian football on the world stage.

Although their campaign ended against a strong Morocco side, the experience gained and the belief created will provide a solid foundation as they look ahead to future tournaments.

Morocco’s journey continues as they reach the World Cup quarter-finals for only the second time in their history. Their historic fourth-place finish in 2022 proved they could compete with the world’s best, and they now have another chance to write a new chapter in African football history when they face France in the quarter-finals at Boston Stadium on Thursday, the 9th of July.