Morocco reached the World Cup quarter-finals for the second time in their history, defeating Canada 3-0 in Houston to end Canada's tournament journey. Azzedine Ounahi scored twice, and Soufiane Rahimi added a third in injury time, securing a historic win for the African side.
Ounahi's double seals victory
Ounahi opened the scoring six minutes into the second half, sweeping in a free-kick from Achraf Hakimi just outside the area. The midfielder, who had been booked earlier, was fortunate to avoid a second yellow card after tugging at Ali Ahmed. Canada's Stephen Eustáquio appealed to referee Michael Oliver, but no further action was taken. Ounahi added his second late in the game after a break led by Chemsdine Talbi and Brahim Díaz, before Rahimi made it three in stoppage time from another Díaz-led transition.
Morocco's defensive resilience
Despite Canada's energetic start, Morocco's defense held firm. Goalkeeper Yassine Bounou made a fine save with his feet from Tani Oluwaseyi to keep the score level. Coach Mohamed Ouahbi's side, known for a more progressive style under his tenure, reverted to a dogged, counter-attacking approach reminiscent of predecessor Walid Regragui's tactics. "We were better than them," Canada coach Jesse Marsch said, according to the Guardian, despite his team's exit.
Historic achievement for African football
Morocco became the first African nation to reach the World Cup quarter-finals twice, having first achieved the feat in Qatar 2022 under Regragui. Ouahbi, who replaced Regragui after the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, has implemented a more offensive style but relied on defensive solidity in this match. The win sets up a quarter-final clash, though their opponent is yet to be determined.
