Morocco Crush Canada to Reach World Cup Quarters

Morocco moved into the FIFA World Cup 2026 quarter-finals after a strong 3-0 win over Canada at Houston Stadium on Saturday, powered by second-half goals from Azzedine Ounahi and Soufiane Rahimi.

After a tight and goalless first half, Morocco broke the deadlock when Achraf Hakimi set up Ounahi outside the penalty area. The midfielder calmly finished past Maxime Crépeau to give Morocco the lead in this World Cup Round of 16 clash.

Canada, one of the co-hosts, pushed forward in search of an equaliser but were caught out as Morocco took full control of the match. Ounahi struck again to double the advantage before substitute Rahimi added a third goal, with both finishes coming from assists by Brahim Díaz, who played a key creative role.

The result sends Morocco into the World Cup quarter-finals for the second consecutive tournament, continuing their impressive rise on the global stage. Ranked sixth in the FIFA rankings, Morocco had already shown their strength by eliminating the Netherlands in a penalty shootout in the previous round.

However, the victory came with concern after leading scorer Ismael Saibari was forced off injured in the 22nd minute, raising doubts over his availability for the next stage.

For Canada, the defeat ends a memorable campaign. The co-hosts had reached the knockout stage for the first time in their history after a 1-0 win over South Africa, sparking nationwide excitement in a country where football usually sits behind ice hockey in popularity.

Despite the loss, Canada’s run marked a significant milestone in their World Cup 2026 journey, while Morocco continued their reputation as one of the tournament’s most disciplined and effective teams.

Do you think Morocco can go all the way to the final?