Morocco beats Canada 3-0

What's happened

Morocco has beaten Canada 3-0 in Houston to reach the World Cup round of 16, with Azzedine Ounahi scoring twice (50', 82') and Soufiane Rahimi adding a stoppage-time third. Canada had early chances but could not convert; Morocco will play the winner of Paraguay v France in Boston on Thursday.

What's behind the headline?

What happened

• Morocco has controlled the second half to win 3-0 over Canada. Azzedine Ounahi scored a long-range finish at 50 minutes and a counterattack strike at 82 minutes; substitute Soufiane Rahimi finished the scoring in stoppage time.

Why the result matters

• Morocco will carry momentum into a Boston last-16 tie against the winner of Paraguay v France. Their form from the 2022 semi-final run has held; they have shown both technical quality and composure in tight knockout matches.

Tactical takeaways

• Canada started stronger but failed to convert early chances; their finishing proved decisive. Morocco tightened defensively in the first half and then shifted to a quicker counterattacking pattern after the interval, which produced both Ounahi goals.

What comes next

• Morocco will prepare in Boston and will rely on the same blend of quick transitions and set-piece delivery from Achraf Hakimi. Canada will return home with a historic tournament behind them and must rebuild around attacking efficiency for future competitions.

How we got here

Morocco reached the knockout stage after a penalty win over the Netherlands and had beaten Canada in the 2022 group stage. Canada had reached the last 16 after its first-ever World Cup knockout win and was playing in front of a large Houston crowd.

Our analysis

Al Jazeera described the scoring sequence in detail: "Ounahi received a free kick from Achraf Hakimi and fired a right-footed shot through traffic" and later noted Rahimi's late strike after coming on for Ismael Saibari. France 24 provided match context and timing: "Five minutes after the restart Hakimi pinged a low free-kick to Ounahi unmarked outside the box and he swept in first time" and added that the match featured many bookings and a large Houston crowd. The New York Times Business and other outlets in the package focused on other simultaneous World Cup fixtures and tournament narratives, such as underdog runs and dramatic knockouts, but both Al Jazeera and France 24 supply consistent accounts of the Morocco–Canada game and the key moments that decided it.

Go deeper

• How will Morocco set up against France or Paraguay in Boston?
• Which changes should Canada make to improve finishing in future tournaments?

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