Morocco secured a 3-0 victory over Canada in the round of 16 at the 2026 World Cup, becoming the first African nation to advance to the quarterfinals more than once. The match took place in Houston, where Azzedine Ounahi scored twice to lead his team to a decisive win.
Morocco’s breakthrough came early in the second half when Ounahi converted a free kick taken by Achraf Hakimi, firing a right-footed shot through traffic from outside the box in the 50th minute. He doubled the lead in the 82nd minute with a close-range finish assisted by Brahim Díaz. Soufiane Rahimi added a third goal during stoppage time, sealing Morocco’s progression.
This result marks Morocco’s second consecutive appearance in the quarterfinals after they reached the semifinals in 2022, making them a prominent contender in international football. “We are no longer a surprise,” Morocco coach Mohamed Ouahbi said through a translator. “Now when people talk about Morocco we’re a major contender and it’s a great source of pride. I think it’s only the beginning and I hope we continue to have runs like this.” Goalkeeper Yassine Bounou echoed these sentiments, emphasizing pride in representing Africa on the global stage and highlighting the continent’s footballing talent.
Canada’s tournament ended with the loss, bringing to a close the nation’s best World Cup performance to date. The team, which has participated in the tournament only three times, had advanced to the knockout stage for the second time after a 1-0 win over South Africa in the previous round. The run captivated Canadian fans, a country where ice hockey typically dominates sports attention.
Canada coach Jesse Marsch acknowledged the team’s effort and urged his players to maintain a high standard moving forward. “I told them that I was proud of them and I challenged them to understand that we can play like this all the time against the best teams in the world,” Marsch said. He also cited the absence of star player Alphonso Davies, who was sidelined due to a hamstring injury and did not play against Morocco. “We were hoping that by the time he woke up this morning that he would feel better, but he didn’t,” Marsch added.
The match was physical and intense, with a total of eight yellow cards issued—four to each side. An incident in the 40th minute involved Hakimi and Canada’s Richie Laryea, resulting in a brief on-field altercation.
In related tournament news, Egypt coach Hossam Hassan displayed a Palestinian flag on the pitch after Egypt's victory over Australia, dedicating the gesture to Egyptians and Palestinians. Meanwhile, the FIFPRO players union issued a statement calling for increased measures to protect players from a “growing pattern” of racist abuse directed at them during the World Cup, both online and in person.