Co-hosts Canada’s fairy-tale FIFA World Cup 2026™ adventure came to a heartbreaking end in Houston on Saturday. A masterful second-half double from midfielder Azzedine Ounahi, followed by a late stoppage-time strike from Soufiane Rahimi, propelled Morocco to a comfortable 3-0 victory and secured their spot in the quarter-finals for a second consecutive tournament.

Having famously become Africa’s first-ever semi-finalists at Qatar 2022, the Atlas Lions overcame a sluggish first half to put on a clinical second-half display. Mohamed Ouahbi’s men can now look forward to a highly anticipated quarter-final clash in Boston on July 9 against the winners of the France-Paraguay tie.

Despite the bitter sting of elimination, Canada exits the tournament with immense pride, having captured the hearts of a nation by recording their first-ever World Cup match victories en route to a historic last-16 run.

Match Summary

• Final Score: Canada 0-3 Morocco
• Morocco Goals: Azzedine Ounahi (50′, 82′), Soufiane Rahimi (90+8′)
• Next Up: Morocco advances to the Quarter-Finals in Boston on July 9.

How the Action Unfolded

Canada Threatens Early Amid Morocco Injury Blow

Canada looked the sharper side in the first half, bursting onto the pitch with high energy and an intense pressing game that pushed Morocco onto the back foot and forced multiple corners.

The co-hosts carved out the first clear-cut chance of the match when Ali Ahmed intercepted a loose ball out of the Moroccan defense. He quickly fed Tani Oluwaseyi, who spun superbly away from Redouane Halhal to go clean through on goal. Oluwaseyi fired a low drive, but Morocco’s Canada-born goalkeeper, Yassine Bounou, rescued his side with a brilliant left-foot save.

Morocco struggled to find any fluid rhythm, and their anxieties deepened in the 22nd minute. Ismael Saibari—the Atlas Lions’ leading goalscorer in the tournament—was forced off with an apparent muscle injury, bringing Soufiane Rahimi off the bench much earlier than planned.

Ounahi Sparks a Historic Second-Half Surge

The tactical adjustments at halftime paid immediate dividends for Morocco, and it was Azzedine Ounahi who stepped up to fill the void left by Saibari. Just five minutes into the second half, a perfectly executed set-piece routine broke the deadlock. Achraf Hakimi played a sharp ball across the face of the box from the right wing, finding Ounahi at the “D.” The midfielder swept a spectacular, first-time strike past a diving Maxime Crépeau and right inside the left post.

Canada attempted to mount a response, with Tajon Buchanan testing Bounou with a stinging low drive, but Morocco remained firmly in the driver’s seat.

In the 82nd minute, Ounahi put the game to bed. Initiating a devastating counter-attack, Brahim Díaz expertly laid the ball off to Ounahi, who ruthlessly buried his shot high into the roof of the net.

Ounahi’s clinical double marked his first-ever World Cup goals. In doing so, he became the first African player to score a brace in the World Cup knockout rounds since Senegal’s Henri Camara achieved the feat against Sweden back in 2002.

Rahimi Adds the Finishing Touch

With Canada completely deflated, Morocco continued to press in the dying embers of the match. Rahimi initially saw a powerful header crash against the crossbar, but he refused to be denied his moment. Deep into added time, Rahimi latched onto a brilliant through ball from the instrumental Díaz, finishing smartly to make it 3-0 and seal Morocco’s ticket to the final eight in style.