Morocco is already in the quarterfinals of the 2026 World Cup. The African team defeated Canada 0-3 this Saturday in Houston and once again confirmed that what happened in Qatar was not an exception: Morocco has stopped being a surprise to become a real threat in the knockout stages.
Canada started better, driven by their status as hosts and a devoted crowd, but they couldn't score. Morocco weathered the first blow, soon lost Ismael Saibari to injury, and even so, they ended up imposing their law with a devastating second half.
Azzedine Ounahi opened the scoring after the break, then scored the second, and Soufiane Rahimi sealed the rout in added time. Three sharp blows, three open wounds, and a qualification that once again places Morocco among the eight best teams in the world.
Morocco eliminates Canada in Houston
The match began with Canada taking the initiative. The North American team pressed high, sought speed on the wings, and forced Morocco to be uncomfortable for several stretches of the first half.
The clearest chance of the start came for Canada, but Bono held off the Moroccans when the match was still undecided. The goalkeeper was once again a key player for a team that knows how to suffer, knows how to wait, and knows how to punish when it finds space.
The morale blow for Morocco came with the injury of Saibari, one of their most outstanding players of the tournament. But the team didn't fall apart. They endured the difficult period and came out of halftime with a sharper edge.
Ounahi breaks the match open after the break
The 0-1 came in the 50th minute. Morocco found the right moment to accelerate and Ounahi appeared to punish Canada when the match began to lean towards the area where the African team feels most comfortable: solid defense, quick transitions, and maximum precision near the box.
From then on, Canada had to take risks. And that was the perfect territory for Morocco. The Canadian team sought the equalizer, pushed forward, and left spaces behind.
Ounahi reappeared in the 82nd minute to score the 0-2 and leave the match practically decided. The Moroccan midfielder was the standout player of the match: his runs, composure, reading of the game, and a coolness uncharacteristic of a high-tension match.
Rahimi seals it and Morocco returns to the quarterfinals
With Canada already committed forward, Rahimi sealed the night with the 0-3 in added time. The play summarized the match: Canada attacking with more heart than precision and Morocco waiting for the mistake to run towards an emotionally open goal.
The result was harsh for Canada, who had signed a historic World Cup. The host reached an elimination phase for the first time, won a knockout match, and allowed themselves to dream of the quarterfinals. But Morocco was too much of a team when the match entered the hour of truth.
The Moroccan team, on the other hand, gets back among the top eight. After reaching the semifinals in Qatar 2022, they confirm in 2026 that their competitive leap has continuity.
Who Morocco plays in the quarterfinals
Morocco will play the quarterfinals of the 2026 World Cup against the winner of Paraguay-France.
The match will be played on Thursday, July 9, and will pit the Moroccan team against a new test of maximum demand. If the opponent is France, the match will have the scent of revenge after the Qatar World Cup semifinal. If Paraguay advances, Morocco will face an uncomfortable, physical team accustomed to competing through resilience.
In any case, Morocco arrives at the quarterfinals with a very clear idea: they do not need to dominate every minute to dominate the result.
A victory that confirms Morocco as a powerhouse
The victory against Canada was not just a rout. It was a demonstration of competitive maturity. Morocco survived the initial push from the host, managed an important injury, struck after the break, and closed the match with surgical effectiveness.