Morocco becomes first team to reach World Cup quarterfinals, beats co-host Canada 3-0

Saibari injury overshadows Morocco's start

The first half offered little by way of footballing highlights. The two teams managed just three shots on goal combined in 45 minutes, with Canada accounting for three – the fewest any team has recorded in a half at this World Cup. The only notable Moroccan attacking move before the break was a long-range effort by substitute Soufiane Rahimi in the 28th minute.

For Canada, Tani Oluwaseyi spurned the game's biggest chance in the 10th minute, when, after a turnover in midfield and a turn past defender Redouane Halhal, he found himself free in front of the Moroccan goal but failed to beat Yassine Bounou. As early as the 5th minute, Bounou had been called upon to save from Stephen Eustaquio and Jonathan David within seconds.

Morocco's opening phase was turbulent. In the 22nd minute, striker star Ismael Saibari had to come off with a thigh injury following a challenge. The 25-year-old, Morocco's leading scorer with three tournament goals, was replaced by Soufiane Rahimi. Whether Saibari can play in the quarterfinals remained unclear at first. His transfer from PSV Eindhoven to FC Bayern Munich had only been announced on Wednesday for a fee of at least 50 million euros; sporting director Max Eberl had described him as "einen der spannendsten Offensivspieler dieser WM".

Ounahi brace after the break

The picture changed after the turn. In the 50th minute, captain Achraf Hakimi laid a free kick off flat at the edge of the box, where Ounahi struck it first time and curled the ball skillfully into the near corner – 1:0 for Morocco. Achraf Hakimi, who had been performing strongly throughout the tournament, thus provided the assist for the decisive momentum shift.

Canada pushed fervently for an equalizer thereafter but lacked the necessary penetration. Jonathan David fired a free kick from a promising position over the bar in the 78th minute. A minute later, Tajon Buchanan was denied by Bounou with a long-range effort. In the 79th and 80th minutes, Canada coach Jesse Marsch brought on two attacking substitutes in Promise David and Jacob Shaffelburg; captain Alphonso Davies, who had come off the bench in the round of 16 against South Africa, was also not in the starting lineup this time.

Canada searches but finds no answer

Instead of the hoped-for equalizer, Morocco decided the game with a counter. In the 82nd minute, Brahim Diaz, most recently listed as an attacking player for Real Madrid and Girona, set up Ounahi in the box, who tucked it away for 2:0. Shortly after, Rahimi headed against the crossbar.

The final decision only fell in the eighth minute of stoppage time. Canada goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau had pushed forward into the opposing box and collided there with Bounou. On the counter, Rahimi made it 3:0 after a pass from Brahim Diaz – his first touch in the box after a long period of waiting.

Canada eliminated as first co-host

Morocco, which in 2022 in Qatar became the first African team ever to reach a World Cup semifinal – losing 0:2 to France there – now stands in a World Cup quarterfinal for the second time after 2022. Before the match, coach Mohamed Ouahbi, who has only been in the job since March, had already been forced to react to the absence of center back Chadi Riad due to a knee injury, bringing in Redouane Halhal. Ouahbi was born in Brussels, began his coaching career in Belgium at RSC Anderlecht, and represents a staff that had entered the tournament with the Africa Cup of Nations title, a group-stage draw against record world champion Brazil (1:1) and competitive victories over Scotland (1:0) and Haiti (4:2).

Canada, meanwhile, bows out as the first co-host nation following its exit in the round of 16. It was only in the round of 16 that Jesse Marsch's side had beaten South Africa 1:0 with a late goal, earning its first-ever World Cup points. Marsch, who knew the words to the Canadian anthem by heart and still didn't want to play down his team's performance, said after the defeat: „Wir waren das bessere Team. Klar, sie hatten ein paar mehr Chancen als wir. Sie haben ein bisschen mehr Qualität im letzten Drittel und uns hat es da gefehlt." At the same time, he expressed pride in his team's effort: „ich könne nicht stolzer sein".

Quarterfinal in Boston: France or Paraguay awaits

Morocco coach Ouahbi spoke openly about the nature of the game: „Wir haben gelitten. Wenn man gegen ein Team antritt, das so intensiv spielt, weiß man von Anfang an, dass es schwierige Momente geben wird." The Canadians had lacked the answers afterward, the coach summed up after the final whistle.

For Morocco, the tournament continues on July 9 in Boston with the quarterfinal. The opponent will be determined in the parallel round-of-16 match between France and Paraguay on Saturday at 23:00 (CEST) in Philadelphia, which is being played at temperatures around 40 degrees Celsius and broadcast live on MagentaTV. France will have to do without Aurélien Tchouaméni, who picked up a thigh injury in the final training session. France coach Didier Deschamps announced that the medical staff had taken various measures against the heat, without giving details. A French victory would give Morocco a chance at revenge for the 0:2 semifinal defeat in 2022.

Parallel to Canada's elimination, Lionel Messi's Argentina faced Cape Verde in another round-of-16 tie and won 3:2 after extra time, while Colombia beat Ghana 1:0 and will face Switzerland in Vancouver on Tuesday. Mexico hosts England on Sunday (local time 18:00) at the Azteca Stadium. A separate off-pitch topic was the return of luxury watches by the Mexican team to US YouTuber Stephen „Steve Will Do it" Deleonardis, whose watches had a combined value of more than one million US dollars according to Excelsior.

Canada's elimination marks the end of a maiden voyage: The Canadians had reached a World Cup finals again for the first time in years, won their first-ever World Cup points and sparked nationwide excitement with their round-of-16 outing against South Africa. On the way there, Jesse Marsch said he had received a message about ten days earlier from basketball legend Steve Nash regarding the „Balance zwischen Anspannung und Unbekümmertheit".

Looking ahead to the rest of the tournament, Morocco must worry not only on the pitch but also personnel-wise. The absence of Saibari, who wears the number 11 shirt at the World Cup and is set to wear number 34 at Bayern in the future, could prove a heavy blow for the quarterfinal. Should he miss out, Ouahbi would once again have to rely on the depth of his squad – 20 of the 26 nominated players were born and raised outside Morocco, 19 of them in Europe.