Morocco secured a dominant 3-0 victory over Canada on 4 July 2026 to book their place in the FIFA World Cup quarter-finals. The match, played at a packed stadium, saw Morocco control proceedings from start to finish.
First-half breakthrough
Achraf Hakimi opened the scoring in the 22nd minute with a powerful strike from outside the box, leaving the Canadian goalkeeper with no chance. The goal came after a sustained period of Moroccan pressure, with Canada struggling to contain the pace and movement of the Moroccan attack.
Second-half dominance
Morocco doubled their lead early in the second half through Youssef En-Nesyri, who headed home from a corner in the 54th minute. Canada attempted to mount a comeback but failed to create clear-cut chances against a well-organized Moroccan defense.
Substitute Soufiane Rahimi sealed the win in the 88th minute with a clinical finish on a lightning counter-attack, capping a convincing performance. According to match statistics, Morocco had 60% possession and 12 shots on target compared to Canada's 3.
Historic achievement
This marks Morocco's first appearance in the World Cup quarter-finals since their historic run in 2022, where they became the first African team to reach the semi-finals. Coach Walid Regragui praised his team's discipline and execution. "We knew Canada would be tough, but the players showed great character and tactical awareness," he said.
Canada, making their second consecutive World Cup appearance, failed to progress beyond the group stage. Despite the loss, they showed improvement from previous tournaments, earning a win earlier in the group.
