Azzedine Ounahi scored a brace as Morocco delivered a commanding performance at Houston Stadium. Morocco reaches quarterfinals after defeating Canada 3-0 in a FIFA World Cup Round of 16 match on Saturday. The victory sends one of the co-hosts home and makes Morocco the first team to advance to the knockout stage. Additionally, Morocco reaches quarterfinals for the second consecutive time after their impressive 2022 campaign in Qatar, where they finished as semi-finalists.

The scoreline flattered Morocco considerably, as Canada outperformed the African champions for much of the opening period. Initially, Morocco failed to register an attempt on goal until the 28th minute. Meanwhile, Canada had missed a number of solid chances. Therefore, the match appeared surprisingly competitive early on.

Morocco suffered a major blow in the first half when they lost striker Ismael Saibari to a hamstring injury. Saibari had scored three goals in the tournament so far. However, the African champions were not affected by the striker’s absence going forward. Instead, they took control of the match decisively.

Morocco took the lead in the 50th minute when Ounahi broke the deadlock. Achraf Hakimi rolled the free-kick back to Ounahi on the edge of the area. Subsequently, the midfielder curled the ball into the bottom corner with precision. This goal shifted momentum completely toward Morocco.

Ounahi sealed the result in the 82nd minute with his second goal of the match. The ball was slid through to Brahim Diaz, who chopped inside before assisting Ounahi. Consequently, Ounahi smashed home at the near post. So the midfielder had secured the three points effectively.

Soufiane Rahimi capped off the victory with a slick finish in stoppage time. A perfectly weighted pass arrived from Diaz. Furthermore, Rahimi slotted the ball past Maxime Crepeau to complete a 3-0 rout. Therefore, Morocco’s dominance intensified dramatically in the final stages.

Yassine Bounou proved crucial for Morocco throughout the match. He made three brilliant saves during the encounter. Additionally, his best save came in the 11th minute against Tani Oluwaseyi. A low ball found the striker on the edge of the area. He turned sharply and struck low toward the target. However, Bounou’s reflexes saved Morocco at that critical moment.

Morocco will face the winners of Saturday’s Round of 16 match between Paraguay and France in the quarterfinals on July 9. So the African champions advance to face another formidable opponent. Finally, Morocco reaches quarterfinals as genuine contenders for eventual tournament glory.