Ounahi nets brace as Atlas Lions seal 3-0 victory to end Canada’s historic World Cup run.
Morocco booked their place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup quarter-finals with a convincing 3-0 victory over co-hosts Canada on Saturday in Houston, ending the hosts’ historic campaign.
After a tightly contested first half, Azzedine Ounahi broke the deadlock five minutes after the restart, sweeping home from an Achraf Hakimi free-kick to give the Atlas Lions the lead.
Canada pushed for an equaliser, but Ounahi struck again in the 82nd minute on a swift counterattack to put the game beyond Jesse Marsch’s side. Substitute Soufiane Rahimi added a third with the final kick of the match to seal Morocco’s dominant victory.
Canada had enjoyed the better of the opening half and came close through Tani Oluwaseyi and Alistair Johnston, but failed to convert their chances. Morocco also suffered an early setback when Bayern Munich-bound Ismael Saibari was forced off through injury before halftime.
The victory sends the 2022 World Cup semi-finalists into the last eight, where they will face either France or Paraguay. Meanwhile, Canada’s impressive tournament comes to an end after making history by reaching the knockout stage and winning both their first World Cup match and first knockout game.