- 2026 FIFA World Cup: Morocco Defeat Canada 3-0 to Reach Quarter-finals
- Azzedine Ounahi scored twice in Morocco’s dominant second-half performance.
- Canada became the first co-host nation eliminated from the tournament.
Morocco became the first team to qualify for the quarter-finals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after producing a commanding second-half performance to defeat co-hosts Canada 3-0.
The victory extended Morocco’s unbeaten run to 10 matches and ended Canada’s campaign, making them the first of the tournament’s co-host nations to be eliminated.
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EKO HOT BLOG reports that Canada started brightly and almost took the lead within the opening 15 minutes. Tani Oluwaseyi found himself in a dangerous position but was denied by goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, who produced a fine save to keep the scores level.
The hosts continued to threaten before halftime. Alistair Johnston escaped his marker but headed straight at a Moroccan defender from close range, while Morocco struggled to create clear scoring opportunities. Their only notable effort of the first half came from Soufiane Rahimi, whose long-range strike was comfortably gathered by Maxime Crépeau.
Morocco returned for the second half with renewed intensity and broke the deadlock five minutes after the restart. Achraf Hakimi caught the Canadian defence off guard with a clever free-kick that found the unmarked Azzedine Ounahi, who calmly swept the ball into the bottom corner.
Canada pushed for an equaliser but lacked the clinical edge they displayed in the opening stages. Jonathan David squandered a golden opportunity from a free-kick just outside the penalty area, sending his effort over the crossbar.
Head coach Jesse Marsch introduced fresh legs in a bid to revive Canada’s attack, and Tajon Buchanan forced Bounou into another impressive save with a powerful long-range effort.
Morocco, however, put the contest beyond doubt with another swift attacking move. Brahim Díaz broke clear down the right flank before squaring the ball for Ounahi, who blasted his finish into the roof of the net to complete his brace and send the Atlas Lions into the last eight.
Rahimi added further gloss to the scoreline with virtually the final kick of the match, sealing an emphatic victory for the North Africans.
The win means Morocco have now claimed victory in seven of their last nine knockout matches at major international tournaments. They will face either Paraguay or France in the quarter-finals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
