Morocco are into the FIFA World Cup 2026™ Quarter-Finals. Azzedine Ounahi scored twice in the second half, and Soufiane Rahimi added a stoppage-time third to give the Atlas Lions a 3–0 victory over Canada at NRG Stadium, Houston. It was a match that Canada dominated early, and Morocco ultimately controlled — a story written in two completely different halves, and decided by a set-piece moment from a man who had nearly been sent off minutes before.
Canada exists on its home continent. Their run to the Round of 16 was a genuine achievement.
Morocco are into the FIFA World Cup 2026™ Quarter-Finals — stream every remaining knockout match live on ZEE 5 with the ZEE 5 FIFA Subscription Quarterly Plan at ₹799.
First Half: Canada Dominate, Bounou Stands Firm
Canada came out with the kind of intensity that a home crowd and knockout football demands. Yassine Bounou was busy from the start. In the 6th minute, Richie Laryea cut back to Jonathan David, whose tight-angle effort was parried away. Four minutes later, Bounou used his legs to deny Tani Oluwaseyi from close range — the best chance of the first half.
Canada registered 11 corners across the 90 minutes. Morocco lost Ismael Saibari — their leading scorer — to a hamstring injury in the 22nd minute. Soufiane Rahimi came on, and the Atlas Lions reshuffled. Still 0–0. Still Canada pressing.
Then, in the 39th minute, Achraf Hakimi shoved Richie Laryea in the back. A skirmish broke out. Players from both sides piled in. The referee spent several minutes restoring order. Six yellow cards in the first half alone. The match had an edge that wouldn’t go away.
The Goal That Changed Everything — and the Yellow Card That Almost Didn’t
The 48th minute. Ounahi, already on a yellow card, pulled back Ali Ahmed and the referee went to his pocket — then thought better of it. No second yellow. No red. Ounahi stayed on the pitch.
Two minutes later, Hakimi stood over a free-kick on the right flank — the obvious option was a cross into the box. Instead, he slid a low disguised pass backwards to the edge of the area. Ounahi ran onto it completely unmarked, opened his body, and curled a precise side-footed shot into the bottom-right corner past a diving Crépeau. 1–0. The man who had nearly been dismissed had just broken the deadlock.
As Canada pushed bodies forward searching for a lifeline, Morocco hit them on the break. Brahim Díaz picked up the ball on the right flank, used his pace to drive deep into the Canadian box, chopped inside past his marker, and slid a precise layoff to the near post. Ounahi met it and powered a strike high into the roof of the net. 2–0. Canada’s desperation had left the space Morocco needed, and Díaz and Ounahi punished it ruthlessly.
Canada’s Last Chance — David’s Free-Kick Over the Bar
Canada tried. In the 75th minute, Sofyan Amrabat gave away a foul right on the edge of the penalty area. A gilt-edged opportunity. Jonathan David — three goals in this FIFA World Cup 2026™ campaign, Canada’s most reliable attacker — stepped up. He sent it sailing over the crossbar. The crowd fell silent.
Morocco were not going to give Canada another chance like that. In the 86th minute, Ounahi floated a cross into the box and Rahimi’s header crashed off the underside of the crossbar — a let-off for Canada, a warning for what was to come. In stoppage time, with Canada pushing forward desperately, Rahimi collected the space left behind and scored into the empty net. 3–0. The match was over.
Morocco Through — Canada’s Journey Ends
Morocco are in the FIFA World Cup 2026™ Quarter-Finals, matching the heights of their 2022 campaign. The Atlas Lions absorbed a difficult first half — losing their top scorer, facing a Canada side playing with everything — and then produced the clinical, structured performance that has defined them throughout this tournament.
Ounahi was the story of the match. A man who could have been sent off in the 48th minute, who instead scored twice.
Canada exit having reached the Round of 16 at a home-continent World Cup. For a nation that was not expected to compete at this level, they competed. The missed free-kick in the 75th minute will linger. But the journey itself was something to be proud of.
Watch Canada vs Morocco Match Highlight Free Only On ZEE5.
Morocco’s Quarter-Final campaign continues on ZEE 5 — India’s official home of FIFA World Cup 2026™. Stream every match live.
Disclaimer: Subscription pack prices are subject to change from time to time. Please visit the subscription page for the most up-to-date pricing information.
