According to match reports from the 2026 World Cup knockout stages, Morocco has successfully advanced to the quarter-finals after a commanding 3-0 victory over tournament co-hosts Canada. The high-intensity match remained deadlocked during a fiercely contested first half, but the tactical adjustments made by Moroccan coach Abdessamad Ouahbi completely shifted the momentum in the second period.
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Subscribe Sekarang →The deadlock was finally broken in the 50th minute when Achraf Hakimi delivered a precise free-kick finding Azzedine Ounahi outside the box, who beat Canadian goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau with a brilliant first-time right-footed strike. Based on tactical analysis, this opening goal forced Canada to alter their aggressive pressing strategy, which they had sustained throughout the grueling opening 45 minutes under manager Jesse Marsch.
Despite losing their tournament top scorer Ismael Saibari early to a muscular injury in the 22nd minute, Morocco capitalised heavily on structural gaps left by a tiring Canadian side. Canada attempts to find an equaliser through Stephen Eustáquio and Tajon Buchanan were repeatedly thwarted by Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, while star forward Jonathan David remained largely anonymous throughout the 96 minutes of play.
Editorial team observations from the match monitoring indicate that Canada ultimately paid a heavy physical price for the relentless pace they maintained during the first half. Morocco clinically exploited this fatigue, launching a lethal counter-attack in the 82nd minute that saw Brahim Díaz cleverly setup Azzedine Ounahi for his second goal of the evening, effectively sealing the North American side's fate.
In the dying moments of stoppage time, Soufiane Rahimi added a third goal following another precise assist from Real Madrid playmaker Brahim Díaz, making the final scoreline perhaps harsher than Canada deserved based on their early efforts. With this spectacular victory, Morocco secures its place among the top eight teams in the world and prepares to face the winner of the France versus Paraguay encounter.