Morocco beat Canada 3-0 to reach World Cup quarter-finals

Morocco ended Canada's World Cup journey on Saturday, securing a decisive 3-0 victory in Houston to reach the quarter-finals. The win marks another milestone for the 2022 semi-finalists, who will face either France or Paraguay in the next round.

Canada, despite being clear underdogs, started the match confidently. Tani Oluwaseyi tested Morocco's goalkeeper Yassine Bounou early on, and defender Alistair Johnston missed a key header from a corner. The first half saw Morocco suffer an injury blow with Bayern Munich-bound Ismael Saibari leaving the field. The match was characterized by numerous fouls and yellow cards, with Morocco receiving four bookings before halftime.

Morocco emerged transformed in the second half. Azzedine Ounahi opened the scoring five minutes after the restart with a well-placed shot from outside the box, his view seemingly blocked by defenders. Substitute Soufiane Rahimi played a role in the build-up, with the ball going through his legs. Ounahi sealed his brace in the 82nd minute with another clinical finish during a breakaway, before Rahimi added a third goal with the final kick of the match in the 98th minute.

The victory was tough on Canada, who were the better side in the opening period and pushed for an equalizer. The match, held in front of 68,777 spectators, was the last World Cup game hosted in Houston before the United States celebrates its 250th birthday.