- Canada vs Morocco: Atlas Lions beat Canada 3-0 to become the first side to book a place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup quarterfinals.
- Azzedine Ounahi scored a brace, while Soufiane Rahimi added the third goal on Saturday at Houston Stadium.
- Morocco will face either Paraguay or France in the quarterfinals on Thursday at Boston Stadium.
Azzedine Ounahi scored twice as Morocco overpowered co-host Canada 3-0 in Houston on Saturday evening to become the first side to book their place in the quarterfinals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
After a cagey first half, the Atlas Lions survived an early scare from Canada, who looked the better side before the break.
However, Morocco came out with a completely different intensity in the second half and delivered a commanding display.
Second-half substitute Soufiane Rahimi sealed the victory with a late finish to ensure his side booked a quarterfinal date against either France or Paraguay next week in Boston.
Morocco’s opening goal came five minutes after the restart. Standing over a free kick around 25 yards from goal, captain Achraf Hakimi caught the Canadian defense off guard.
With everyone expecting a lofted delivery into the box, he instead rolled a clever, low diagonal pass toward the edge of the penalty area.
Ounahi read the move perfectly, drifting into the open space completely unmarked before unleashing a superb first-time curling effort that zipped through a crowd of bodies and nestled into the bottom corner.
The second goal, in the 81st minute, came as a direct consequence of Canada committing too many players forward in a desperate search for an equalizer.
Morocco regained possession deep inside their own half and launched a devastating counterattack down the left flank, ruthlessly exposing Canada’s retreating defense.
Brahim Diaz whiped a precise low cross across the face of goal, evading the center-backs and finding the onrushing Ounahi, who timed his run to perfection before calmly side-footing home his second of the night.
The final blow arrived in the seventh minute of stoppage time, turning Canadian heartbreak into a comprehensive defeat.
Canada threw everyone forward for a late corner, including goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair, leaving their own half completely exposed.
When the Moroccan defense cleared the danger, second-half substitute Rahimi gathered the ball near the halfway line before racing clear. With Diaz once again providing the final pass inside the box, Rahimi kept his composure and slotted into the empty net to complete the 3-0 victory.
Morocco were one of only two African nations alongside Egypt, to reach the Round of 16. They will now be hoping to replicate their historic 2022 World Cup run in Qatar, where they became the first African nation to reach the semifinals.
Read more about other World Cup teams in 2026 below:
Morocco national football team 2026
Argentina national football team 2026
Mexico national football team 2026
Spain national football team 2026
Brazil national football team 2026
France national football team 2026
Senegal national football team 2026