Morocco became the first team to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup quarter-finals after a commanding 3-0 victory over Canada in their Round of 16 clash at Houston Stadium on Saturday.
After a goalless first half, Azzedine Ounahi broke the deadlock in the 50th minute with a stunning long-range strike following an assist from Achraf Hakimi.
The Moroccan midfielder doubled his tally in the 82nd minute, finishing calmly after a well-worked move set up by Brahim Diaz.
Substitute Soufiane Rahimi sealed the emphatic victory deep into stoppage time, scoring Morocco's third goal in the 98th minute.
Morocco's dominant display secured a second consecutive appearance in the World Cup quarter-finals, following their historic run to the semi-finals at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, where they became the first Arab and African nation to reach the last four.
The Atlas Lions advanced to the Round of 16 after defeating the Netherlands 3-2 on penalties following a 1-1 draw, while Canada reached the knockout stage after beating South Africa 1-0 for their first-ever World Cup knockout victory.
Morocco will now face the winner of the Round of 16 match between France and Paraguay in the quarter-finals.
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