The World Cup 2026 round of 16 began with tournament co-hosts Canada taking on Morocco in Houston this evening. Before a ball had been kicked, the Atlas Lions were slight favourites to reach the quarter-final, but they needed a much improved second half performance to progress.
Azzedine Ounahi was the hero for Morocco as he scored twice in the second half to end Canada’s World Cup dream and send Morocco through. The midfielder was on hand to break the deadlock shortly after the half-time and then ended the last-16 showdown by firing an effort into the roof of the net as Morocco caught the co-hosts cold on the counter-attack.
Soufiane Rahimi then added a third goal in stoppage-time as Canada became the first co-hosts to fall at this summer’s expanded tournament. Morocco will now sit back to discover their next opponents and it could be that France could lie in wait as they face Paraguay later today, though a shock result cannot be ruled out. Follow Canada vs Morocco back below with our dedicated match blog.
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FULL-TIME
Canada 0-3 Morocco
Morocco progress to the World Cup quarter-finals.
GOAL! Canada 0-3 Morocco | Soufiane Rahimi ‘90+8
90+8 min: Game set and matched as Soufiane Rahimi adds a third in stoppage-time.
Canada 0-2 Morocco
90+6 min: Canada free-kick, you feel this has to go in to have any hope of a miracle.
And it comes to nothing.
Canada 0-2 Morocco
90+5 min: Canada are throwing everything at the Morocco goal. Literally everything as goalkeeper Crepeau has come up for the last two attacks.
Canada 0-2 Morocco
90 min: Canada pushing for a goal but a Morocco defender is first to every loose pass. They will have an extra eight minutes to find a way back into the game.
Canada 0-2 Morocco
88 min: CHANGES
MoroccoL El Mourabet and Saadane replace El Aynaoui and Diop.
Canada: Sigur and Buchanan make way for Nelson and Osorio.
Canada 0-2 Morocco
85min: Two really good finishes from Azzedine Ounahi and you feel that is game over.
Nearly a third for Morocco but Rahimi is denied by the crossbar.
GOAL! Canada 0-2 Morocco | Azzedine Ounahi ‘82
82 min: MOROCCO SCORE AGAIN!
Blistering counter-attack from Morocco, Brahim Diaz checks back, sets up Azzedine Ounahi who fires an effort into the roof of the net.
Canada 0-1 Morocco
79 min: David takes but his clipped effort sends the ball over the bar. Difficult to get the ball up and down from so close in.
P. David and Shaffelburg on for Ahmed and Laryea as Buchanan forces a save from Bounou.
Canada 0-1 Morocco
77 min: Eustaquio goes to ground on the edge of the area after being fouled by Amrabat and wins Canada a free-kick is a dangerous position. What a chance this is for the co-hosts and their fans behind the goal are spurring the team on.
David to take...