The Moroccan national team relied on its scoring power this Saturday to emerge victorious from a very tough match against Canada. With two goals from Azzedine Ounahi and one from Soufiane Rahimi in the second half, Morocco won 3-0 at NRG Stadium in Houston to advance to the World Cup quarterfinals, where they will face the winner of the France-Paraguay match.
A goal by Girona midfielder Ounahi—resulting from a set-piece play orchestrated by head coach Mohamed Ouahbi—turned the tide of a match in which Canada, making its first appearance in the World Cup round of 16, had been the better team.
Morocco Wins Like a Title Contender
But Morocco, a semifinalist in Qatar, has already learned to play—and to win—like a powerhouse.
With the resilience to endure, with Yassine Bounou always making decisive saves in goal, with a solid defense, and with the ability to capitalize on the few scoring opportunities they created.
They were on the verge of elimination in the round of 32 against the Netherlands but won in a penalty shootout.
This Saturday, the team was struggling at halftime after losing Ismael Saibari to injury, but managed to pull through thanks to a two-goal performance by Ounahi.
A midfielder who had scored only two goals so far in 2026, with Rahimi scoring the final goal.
“It’s going to be the toughest game of our World Cup, and I’m rarely wrong,” Mohamed Ouahbi had warned at the press conference the day before.
And, even though the result didn’t reflect it, the field proved him right—and then some.
Because Canada took the field not only with intense focus but also with more aggression than Morocco.
Fierce in 50-50 battles, unafraid of physical contact, and hungry for goals.
From Bono’s saves to Ounahi’s goal
It was thanks to Bounou that Canada didn’t break the tie in the first half against Morocco.
The former Sevilla goalkeeper made a game-saving stop in the 10th minute against a cross-goal shot by Tani Oluwaseyi.
And he kept Morocco, which posed no offensive threat whatsoever, at bay.
They struggled to keep up with the Canadian team’s pace, and the injury to their offensive stalwart, Saibari, made their task even more difficult.
Almost taken aback by the physical intensity Canada brought to the game, Morocco showed its frustration.
They returned to the locker room with the score tied at 0-0 and as many as four players booked.
Among them was Achraf Hakimi, who got caught up in a scuffle just before halftime.
It took a set piece to break the deadlock.
In the 50th minute, on a free kick from the right wing, Hakimi played the ball across the box, and Ounahi fired a right-footed shot from the edge of the box to give Morocco a 1-0 lead on their first clear scoring chance of the match.
Morocco’s counterattack was lethal
For Canada, it was a psychological blow.
Jesse Marsch’s team took a while to regroup, and when they did, they pushed forward with pride but lacked a finishing touch.
With maturity, Morocco sat back and waited for the right moment to strike on the counterattack, with Brahim leading the charge.
The Moroccan attacking midfielder rattled Canada’s defense with some classy moves, and in the 82nd minute, he set up Ounahi for his second goal of the match.
With qualification already in the bag, Morocco had even more space to work with.
And Soufiane Rahimi, after hitting the crossbar with a header, capitalized on another assist from Brahim to make it 3-0.
Morocco is now the first team to advance to the quarterfinals of the 2026 World Cup.
It was a very difficult duel
NuevaOnda.com
Technical Specifications
3 – Morocco: Yassine Bounou; Achraf Hakimi, Issa Diop (Saadane, 86′), Redouane Halhal, Noussair Mazraoui; Ayyoub Bouaddi (Sofyane Amrabat, 63′), Azzedine Ounahi (El Mouabet, 85′), Neil El Aynaoui; Brahim Díaz, Ismael Saibari (Rahimi, 22′), Bilal El Khannouss (Talbi, 63′).
Head Coach: Mohamed Ouahbi.
0 – Canada: Maxime Crépeau; Alistair Johnston, Moïse Bombito, Luc de Fougerolles, Richie Laryea (Shaffelburgh, 79′); Tajon Buchanan (Nelson, 86′), Stephen Eustáquio, Niko Sigur (Osorio, 86′), Ali Ahmed (Promise David, 79′); Jonathan David, Tani Oluwaseyi (Larin, 63′).
Head Coach: Jesse Marsch.
Goals: 1-0, 50′: Ounahi; 2-0, 82′: Ounahi; 3-0, 98′: Rahimi.
Referee: Michael Oliver (ENG). He issued yellow cards to Laryea (38′) and David (43′) of Canada, and to Halhal (23′), Hakimi (38′), Ounahi (45′), and El Khannous (45+5′) of Morocco.
Match Details: A Round of 16 match in the 2026 World Cup between Morocco and Canada, played at NRG Stadium in Houston in front of 68,777 spectators—a sellout crowd.
With information from EFE
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