Morocco Ends Canada’s World Cup Run with 3-0 Win as France Awaits in Quarter-Finals
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Morocco ended Canada’s historic World Cup run with a commanding 3-0 victory in the Round of 16, sending the Atlas Lions into the quarter-finals and bringing the co-hosts’ dream campaign to an emotional close. Reuters reported that Morocco advanced after a clinical second-half performance, while Canada paid the price for failing to convert early chances.
Azzedine Ounahi was the star of the night, scoring twice to put Morocco in control before substitute Soufiane Rahimi added a late third goal. According to Reuters’ match centre, Ounahi scored in the 50th and 82nd minutes, while Rahimi sealed the result in stoppage time, confirming Morocco’s 3-0 win over Canada.
The result carried two powerful emotions: heartbreak for Canada, whose best-ever World Cup journey came to an end on home soil, and major Arab and African celebration as Morocco reached the quarter-finals for the second consecutive World Cup. Reuters noted that Canada started strongly and put Morocco under pressure early, but the North African side showed maturity, discipline and ruthless finishing when the decisive moments arrived.
For Canada, the defeat was painful but not without pride. Head coach Jesse Marsch praised his players’ spirit after a tournament in which Canada achieved historic milestones, including its first World Cup point and first World Cup victory. But against Morocco, Canada’s missed opportunities and lack of cutting edge in the final third proved costly.
Morocco, meanwhile, continues to prove that its remarkable 2022 run was not a one-time story. The Atlas Lions have now reached the last eight again, showing the composure of a team that has grown more experienced, more confident and more dangerous in knockout football.
The next challenge will be even bigger. France booked its own place in the quarter-finals with a 1-0 win over Paraguay, thanks to a Kylian Mbappé penalty, setting up a highly anticipated Morocco-France clash. Reuters described the upcoming meeting as a rematch of the 2022 World Cup semi-final, but this time Morocco enters with renewed belief and another chance to write a major chapter in Arab and African football history.
