Morocco beats – A hamstring injury to Ismael Saibari before halftime forced Morocco to reshuffle. They still finished Canada 3-0 with two goals from Azzedine Ounahi and a late strike by Soufiane Rahimi, sealing a second straight World Cup quarterfinal appearance.
HOUSTON — Minutes after the final whistle sounded on Morocco’s 3-0 win over Canada, Azzedine Ounahi was lifted into the air at midfield, smiling as his teammates hoisted him aloft.
Ounahi had scored twice and carried Morocco into the World Cup quarterfinals. Later, in French, he kept the focus on more than his brace.
“I’m proud of the whole group,” Ounahi said. “It’s not just about me scoring today, or the last match where someone else scored. We’re a tight-knit unit; we all want the same thing and share the same goal. Whether it’s me scoring or someone else, we’re all happy.”
Morocco, the 2022 World Cup semifinalists, sent an up-and-coming Canada home Saturday by scoring three second-half goals and booking a ticket to their second consecutive quarterfinals. For Canada, the loss ended a run that had the team playing in the round of 16 for the first time.
Canada coach Jesse Marsch put it bluntly. “We were the better team, but they made a couple more plays than us,” Marsch said. “They have a little bit of quality in the final third and we lacked a little bit and didn’t make them pay when we needed to.”
Canada’s numbers looked threatening on paper: they took twice as many shots as Morocco and had double the final third entries. An upset seemed possible in the first half as the Atlas Lions struggled against Canada’s high press and mid-block defense.
Then Morocco reset. They locked in and delivered clinical finishes when it counted, with experience and depth becoming the deciding difference on soccer’s biggest stage.
Morocco forward Brahim Diaz, who assisted two goals, described the swing after a shaky first half. “The most important is how we kept our head up. the mentality we have. because we knew we didn’t play a good first half and we came out to put everything on the pitch. ” Diaz said. “Sometimes in football, in life, you have bad times, but you keep your head up and keep going. I’m so proud of my team.”.
The turning point had arrived even before the second half. Entering Saturday, one image had defined Morocco’s tournament: a bloodied, bare-chested Ismael Saibari celebrating after scoring the winning penalty kick against the Netherlands in a round-of-32 shootout.
But in the 22nd minute against Canada, Saibari limped off the field with a hamstring injury. Morocco then had to replace its top goal-scorer of the tournament.
After the game, coach Mohamed Oauhbi said he did not know Saibari’s status for the July 9 quarterfinal game.
Depth was the answer anyway. Morocco’s option off the bench was Soufiane Rahimi. the player who scored eight goals for the Atlas Lions during their bronze-medal run at the 2024 Olympics. Rahimi made an immediate impact. taking Morocco’s first shot of the game in the 28th minute. and later scored in the final minute of second-half stoppage time to seal the victory.
Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, asked about the squad’s collective role, emphasized confidence through the roster. “We have a very good group so we need to have confidence in everybody,” Bounou said. “I think all the players are doing a great job.”
The match also carried a quiet irony in the way Canada tried to impose itself. Canada entered the game with the most corner kicks of any team in the World Cup but had yet to score on one. Defender Alistair Johnston had joked on Friday that the last thing he’d be thinking about before walking onto the field was set pieces.
Morocco took advantage anyway. Although Canada won 11 corners against Morocco, it was Morocco who capitalized on a set piece for the game’s first goal. Captain Achraf Hakimi passed back to an unmarked Ounahi outside the penalty area, and Ounahi’s first-touch shot found the net in the 50th minute.
Canada’s hopes took another hit in the 82nd minute. Morocco took advantage of Canada’s high position—turning the space into a breakaway—and outnumbered the defenders as Ounahi scored again.
After the whistle, the celebrations were directed toward the continent as much as the tournament. Rahimi held up a Moroccan flag in front of the nation’s elated supporters.
Bounou said the win carried wider meaning. “We are so proud to represent Africa because it’s a continent with a lot of talent and Africa deserved. with time. to be in the best level in football. ” Bounou said. “And I want to say congratulations to Cabo Verde because they make us proud. They did a very good World Cup. Egypt are doing very good also I think all the teams from Africa this year are doing a very good job and they make us proud.”.
Morocco will bring that momentum into their quarterfinal following a milestone few countries have matched. No African team has reached the World Cup quarterfinals more times than Morocco. The Atlas Lions did it by recruiting dual-national players. building a patchwork quilt roster of players from different backgrounds held together by a common goal and shared belief.
The group includes Bounou and French-born 18-year-old midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi. Bouaddi represented France earlier in his career and decided in May to play for Morocco. After Saturday’s game. he arrived in the mixed zone wearing the jersey of Canadian forward Jonathan David. his former teammate with French club Lille.
Bouaddi spoke in French. “Personally, I am very happy and very proud,” Bouaddi said. “This is my first World Cup. But I think the team and the Moroccan people in general are very proud, too, and we’re going to keep doing everything we can to make them even prouder.”
For Canada. the damage was immediate: Ounahi’s clinical finishing. Morocco’s ability to keep control after a difficult first half. and the late injection of Soufiane Rahimi after Saibari’s injury all combined into a 3-0 exit. For Morocco, the message was equally clear—when the game threatened to break, the next player stepped in.
Morocco vs Canada Azzedine Ounahi Soufiane Rahimi Ismael Saibari World Cup quarterfinals Jesse Marsch Yassine Bounou Achraf Hakimi Brahim Diaz Mohamed Oauhbi Ayyoub Bouaddi Jonathan David