World Cup Desk – Previous edition’s semi-finalists Morocco became the first team to book a place in the quarter-finals of the ongoing World Cup, registering a clinical 3-0 victory over tournament co-hosts Canada at the NRG Stadium in Houston.
Despite Canada dominating the statistics across the board, Morocco’s lethal efficiency in front of the goal proved to be the ultimate difference maker.
A brilliant second-half brace from Azzedine Ounahi and a late stoppage-time strike from Soufiane Rahimi sealed an emphatic win for the Atlas Lions, sending the co-hosts crashing out of the tournament.
A Tale of Two Halves: Canada’s Missed Dominance
The final scoreline tells the story of a blowout, but the reality on the pitch was far from one-sided. Canada took control of the game right from the kickoff, pinning Morocco deep into their own half. The North Africans struggled early on, failing to register a single shot in the opening 25 minutes of the match.
Canada’s attacking duo, Jonathan David and Tani Oluwaseyi, continuously troubled the Moroccan backline and created multiple clear-cut opportunities.
However, they repeatedly ran into a wall named Yassine Bounou. The Moroccan shot-stopper put on a masterclass between the posts, frustrating the Canadian forwards and ensuring the game remained goalless heading into the halftime break.
Ounahi and Bounou Turn the Tide
Morocco emerged from the interval looking like a completely different side, needing just five minutes into the second half to break the deadlock.
In the 50th minute, captain Achraf Hakimi initiated a brilliant move from a free-kick. He found Azzedine Ounahi, who unleashed a low, driving shot from just outside the penalty box that beat the Canadian goalkeeper to make it 1-0.
Conceding the goal forced Canada to push forward with even greater urgency. They swarmed the Moroccan box, racking up 11 corners throughout the match compared to Morocco’s single corner.
In the 79th minute, Tajon Buchanan came agonizingly close to an equalizer with a powerful long-range effort, only to be denied by another spectacular diving save from Bounou.
The Late Counter-Attacking Masterclass
As Canada threw everyone forward in a desperate search for an equalizer, Morocco exploited the open spaces on the counter-attack to put the game to bed.
In the 82nd minute, Real Madrid star Brahim Díaz orchestrated a swift counter, laying off a perfect pass to Ounahi, who calmly slotted home his second goal of the night.
The final blow came deep into stoppage time. In the 98th minute (90+8′), Díaz turned provider once again, setting up substitute Soufiane Rahimi, who made no mistake in tapping it home to round off the 3-0 scoreline.
Efficiency Beats Dominance
The post-match statistics highlight a staggering paradox. Canada registered 10 shots compared to Morocco’s 5, and heavily out-touched the Atlas Lions inside the opposition penalty area by 32 to 10. Yet, Morocco’s clinical precision saw them guide three of their four shots on target into the back of the net.
With this tactical victory, the 2022 World Cup semi-finalists have kept their dreams of another historic run alive, reaching the final eight in consecutive tournaments. Morocco will now face France in the quarter-finals.