Morocco Vs Canada: Atlas Lions Reach WC Last 8 as First Team Through

Ounahi brace sends Morocco into World Cup quarter-finals

Ounahi bags a brace and Rahimi adds a late third as Morocco beat Canada 3-0. The Atlas Lions are 10 games unbeaten and into the last 8.

Ounahi scores twice as Morocco beat Canada 3-0 to reach World Cup quarter-finals...

Morocco are the first team into the FIFA World Cup quarter-finals. The Atlas Lions made it 10 games unbeaten with a hard-fought 3-0 victory over co-hosts Canada - who become the first co-hosts ever to be knocked out.

Canada came into the game as big underdogs on paper, but they played like a team desperate to live up to the home pressure. It was the co-hosts who came out flying from the first whistle.

A golden chance came within the first 15 minutes. Tani Oluwaseyi was picked out in the box, but with only Yassine Bounou to beat he fired straight into the Moroccan keeper.

Clear-cut chances were rare for most of the first half. When half-opportunities did pop up, Canada were the ones getting them - including an unmarked Alistair Johnston who could only head straight at a defender from 12 yards out.

Morocco were flat for most of the first half. That summed up their attack - their only shot before the break was a long-range effort from Soufiane Rahimi that Maxime Crépeau collected with ease.

The halftime whistle came right on time for the Atlas Lions. Whatever Mohamed Ouahbi said in the dressing room worked, because Morocco were in front within five minutes of the restart. An inventive free-kick routine picked out an unmarked Azzedine Ounahi on the edge of the box, and he swept it cleanly into the bottom corner. Canada were made to pay for all those missed chances.

By the time of the second water break, Canada still hadn’t had a shot on target since Oluwaseyi’s effort in the 11th minute. Their best chance to test Bounou came with just over 10 minutes left, but Jonathan David blasted a free-kick from the edge of the box well over the bar.

That miss forced Jesse Marsch’s hand. The Canada boss made changes, and it paid off instantly. Tajon Buchanan let fly from distance and forced a diving save to turn it around the post as the co-hosts finally cranked up the pressure.

Chasing an equalizer left Canada wide open. The sucker punch came when Brahim Díaz broke free down the right, cut inside, and unselfishly squared it to Ounahi. He smashed it into the roof of the net - sealing Morocco’s place in the quarter-finals and ending Canada’s run.

Morocco now have 7 wins in their last 9 knockout games at major tournaments - proof they’re a serious threat in the business end of this competition. Soufiane Rahimi underlined that point with a third goal in stoppage time, almost the last kick of the match.

Canada are left to lick their wounds, but there’s still a milestone to celebrate. Despite the loss, they made history by reaching the knockout rounds of a World Cup for the very first time.