Ounahi brace and late Rahimi strike end co-hosts’ historic run in Houston
Morocco’s journey at the 2026 FIFA World Cup continued in ruthless fashion on Saturday as the Atlas Lions dispatched co-hosts Canada 3-0 in the Round of 16, becoming the first African nation to reach the World Cup quarter-finals more than once.
Played before a packed crowd at Houston Stadium, the match saw Azzedine Ounahi score twice and substitute Soufiane Rahimi add a stoppage-time finish to seal a comprehensive victory that sends Morocco into a quarter-final rematch with France on July 9.
A Slow Start, A Clinical Finish
Canada came out with clear intent. Playing at home and riding the momentum of their first-ever World Cup knockout win over South Africa, Jesse Marsch’s side pressed high, won duels, and created the better chances in the opening 45 minutes.
Tani Oluwaseyi and Jonathan David both tested Yassine Bounou, while Morocco failed to register a shot on goal until the 28th minute. The Atlas Lions looked unsettled and suffered an early blow in the 22nd minute when top scorer Ismael Saibari was forced off with a hamstring injury. Soufiane Rahimi came on to replace him.
Despite Canada’s dominance in possession and territory, they couldn’t convert. And in World Cup knockout football, that wastefulness is punished.
Coach Mohamed Ouahbi admitted as much after the game. “It’s a World Cup match and these are difficult games with teams playing for their lives,” he said. “We reacted very well in the second half in the second balls and the duels”.
Ounahi Takes Centre Stage
The breakthrough came five minutes into the second half. A clever low free-kick routine from Achraf Hakimi found Ounahi on the edge of the area, and the midfielder swept a first-time shot past Maxime Crépeau to make it 1-0.
Ounahi, now playing in a more advanced role higher up the pitch, doubled Morocco’s lead in the 82nd minute after a counter-attack set up by Brahim Diaz.
With Canada pushing numbers forward in search of an equalizer, space opened up behind them. Diaz exploited it again, providing the assist for Rahimi to tap in during the eighth minute of stoppage time and make it 3-0.
Four shots on target. Three goals. That was Morocco’s efficiency. “By contrast, Morocco had four shots on target in the 90 minutes and netted from three of them, economical in their chance creation but clinical with their finishing”. 2057
History Made For African Football
The result carries major significance. With the win, Morocco advanced to the World Cup quarter-finals for the second consecutive tournament, having reached the semi-finals in Qatar in 2022.
They are now the first African nation to reach the last eight more than once. The victory also pushed them up to number six in the world rankings, underlining their evolution from giant-killers in 2022 to genuine contenders in 2026.
“We want to keep going, we don’t want to stop. We will keep the same ambition and same goal (to win the World Cup),” Ouahbi said post-match.
Canada’s Dream Run Ends
For Canada, the defeat brought a historic World Cup campaign to an abrupt end. The co-hosts had reached the knockout stage for the first time and beaten South Africa 1-0 to get here.
They started brightly but couldn’t finish. Marsch praised his team’s effort while acknowledging the fine margins. “As well as we played, Morocco bent a little bit but did not break,” he said. “The smallest details in a match can make a big difference. And if you do not take your chances when you are on top, that will cost you”.
Canada were also without captain Alphonso Davies in the starting XI, as he began on the bench after recently returning from injury.
Morocco now turn their attention to a blockbuster quarter-final against France, set for July 9 at Boston Stadium in Foxborough. It’s a rematch of the 2022 semi-final, and another chance for the Atlas Lions to prove they belong among football’s elite.
The win over Canada showed a different side of Morocco. They absorbed pressure, stayed patient, and struck with precision — the hallmarks of a top team.
From Casablanca to Houston, the Atlas Lions are roaring again. And this time, they’re not just making history. They’re trying to win it all.
