Azzedine Ounahi struck his first World Cup goals and substitute Soufiane Rahimi added a late third to send Morocco to the 2026 quarter-finals and end Canada’s history-making run as the co-hosts went out in Houston.
Les Rouges dominated the first half and were unfortunate not to go ahead when Bono, who had earlier kept out Jonathan David’s shot from a tight angle, thwarted Tani Oluwaseyi in a one-on-one.
Morocco lost three-goal top scorer Ismael Saibari to injury before the break but went ahead five minutes after half-time when Girona midfielder Ounahi arrived unmarked to meet Achraf Hakimi’s free-kick just outside the box and sweep a precise low finish beyond goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau’s dive.
Bono pushed Tajon Buchanan’s long-range drive away before Brahim Diaz completed a surging run with a clever turn and pass to tee up Ounahi, who fired in with eight minutes remaining from inside the penalty area.
Diaz supplied Rahimi, who had headed against the crossbar shortly beforehand, to slot in eight minutes into added time as Morocco advanced in style to a meeting with France or Paraguay, who face each other in Philadelphia on Saturday (22:00 BST).
Morocco vs Canada: Atlas Lions progress at World Cup
The first African side to reach the semi-finals with their thrilling run in 2022, Morocco’s draw with Brazil on their way to taking seven points in the group stage and last-32 win over the Netherlands made their underwhelming first-half display a surprise.
Jesse Marsch’s team will go down in the record books for their country’s third appearance at the finals, securing the nation’s first-ever win at a World Cup tournament with a 6-0 thrashing of Qatar on matchday two before knocking out South Africa in the last 32.
Marsch had described Morocco as a near-flawless team in the build-up and the reigning African champions’ superior quality and experience told during the second half, bringing their opponents’ memorable campaign to a creditable end.
World Cup 2026: Canada ‘hard luck’ vs Morocco
Former Leeds United forward Lucy Ward said the contest “certainly hadn’t been a 3-0 game”. “But when it counts – when you’re in front of goal – Morocco just had that quality that Canada [didn’t],” Ward told ITV.
“It’s such hard luck for Canada – they’d given everything. They’ve done brilliantly, they’ve come so far in this World Cup and under Jesse Marsch.
“But this is where it ends. Canada were pushing forward and leaving lots of space. [The goals were] three great finishes.
“[Canada] gave everything but it was not quite enough. Morocco found a little bit more quality during the second half. Canada could not have given any more.”
World Cup 2026: Canada team vs Morocco
Marsch made three changes to his starting side from the win over South Africa, bringing in Niko Sigur, Lucas De Fougerolles and Ali Ahmed.
Derek Cornelius, Nathan Saliba and Liam Millar moved to the bench, with Alphonso Davies not yet fit to be involved as the captain continued his recovery from a hamstring injury.
Canada starting XI: Maxime Crepeau, Alistair Johnston, Luc De Fougerolles, Moise Bombito, Richie Laryea, Tajon Buchanan, Niko Sigur, Stephen Eustaquio, Ali Ahmed, Jonathan David, Tani Oluwaseyi
Canada Substitutes: Dayne St. Clair, Alfie Jones, Joel Waterman, Mathieu Choiniere, Cyle Larin, Liam Millar, Derek Cornelius, Jacob Shaffelburg, Owen Goodman, Alphonso Davies, Jonathan Osorio, Promise David, Nathan Saliba, Jayden Nelson
World Cup 2026: Morocco team vs Canada
Morocco boss Mohamed Ouahbi made a change in defence, introducing Redouane Halhal for Chadi Riad, who had a knee injury.
Morocco starting XI: Yassine Bounou, Achraf Hakimi, Issa Diop, Redouane Halhal, Noussair Mazraoui, Brahim Diaz, Ayyoub Bouaddi, Azzedine Ounahi, Neil El Aynaoui, Bilal El Khannouss, Ismael Saibari
Morocco substitutes: Ahmed Reda Tagnaouti, Sofyan Amrabat, Marwane Saadane, Chemsdine Talbi, Soufiane Rahimi, Munir El Kajoui, Zakaria El Ouahdi, Samir El Mourabet, Gessime Yassine, Amine Sbai, Chadi Riad, Youssef Belammari, Ayoub El Kaabi, Ayoube Amaimouni-Echghouyab, Anass Salah-Eddine
Morocco World Cup fixtures
Here’s when Morocco will be in quarter-final action, as well as how to watch in the UK.
| Date | Venue | BST start time | ET | PT |
| Thurs, July 9 | Boston | 21:00 | 16:00 | 13:00 |
World Cup 2026: Canada vs Morocco stats
- Canada were appearing in the World Cup knockout rounds for the first time in their history and had scored in their previous six matches across all competitions
- Jesse Marsch’s side recorded 100 final-third pressures in the first half against South Africa, which was the highest figure in a World Cup match since detailed data collection began in 2010
- Marsch was aiming to become the first American manager to progress from more than one knockout tie at the World Cup, as well as the first to win three games in the competition
- This was Canada’s sixth meeting with Morocco in all competitions, going winless across each of the previous four (D1 L3)
- They have only faced Scotland (6) and Iceland (5) more times in their history without ever winning
- Excluding finals and play-off matches for third place, Morocco have progressed from seven of their last nine knockout ties at major tournaments (World Cup and Africa Cup of Nations)
- Morocco are unbeaten in their last 10 matches in all competitions
- They completed 801 passes against the Netherlands in the previous round, becoming only the second team after Spain to exceed 800 passes in a World Cup match since modern data tracking began
- The Atlas Lions have never lost to Canada in senior men’s international football and won the fixture 2-1 at the 2022 World Cup
- That win was their first-ever meeting with a CONCACAF nation at the World Cup, proceeding to beat Haiti 4-2 during this year’s group stage
