Canadavs
MoroccoCanada came into this World Cup quarterfinal at NRG Stadium having earned their place — but Morocco had no interest in sentiment. By the final whistle, the Atlas Lions had won 3-0, and it wasn't really that tight.
The first half was scrappy and combustible. Eight yellow cards were distributed across both sides before the break, a stretch of the game that felt more like a negotiation over territory than actual football. Redouane Halhal went in the book at 20', Achraf Hakimi and Richie Laryea both collected cards in the 40th minute, Jonathan David followed three minutes later, and then Azzedine Ounahi and Bilal El Khannouss were booked in quick succession right at the end of regulation time. Canada's Luc de Fougerolles was cautioned just four minutes into the second half. It was that kind of game.
Morocco held 55.4% of the ball and circulated it crisply — 472 passes at 80% accuracy — but for all their composure on the ball, they created very little before the interval. Canada, working with 44.6% possession and 10 shots on the night, were not passive. They pressed, they committed fouls — 24 of them — and they made it ugly. The problem was they couldn't convert any of that energy into a goal.
Ounahi Decides It
Five minutes into the second half, the match cracked open. Hakimi found Ounahi in the box, and the Angers midfielder finished to make it 1-0. Cabal, that was the moment Canada's hopes effectively ended — not because the scoreline was insurmountable, but because Morocco looked entirely unbothered by the task of protecting it.
Canada pushed. Eleven corners on the night, 10 shots, three on target. Their goalkeeper made just one save; Morocco's keeper made three. The numbers tell the story of a team that had the ball in dangerous areas and couldn't do enough with it, while Morocco were ruthless on the counter.
El chispudo de Ounahi showed up again at 82', this time with Brahim Díaz supplying the assist. Two goals, two assists between them in the second half — the pair were the difference. Cyle Larin picked up a yellow card at 67' as Canada's frustration mounted, and by the time Soufiane Rahimi finished off another Brahim Díaz delivery in the 98th minute, the game was long over as a contest.
Verdict
Our pre-match read made Morocco the favorite at 53%, and they left no doubt. This was a performance that will feel significant in the context of the tournament — Morocco did not just win, they absorbed Canada's physicality, weathered the card storm in the first half, and then turned the second half into a controlled exercise in finishing.
The question now is whether Ounahi can carry that form deeper into the competition. He looked like the best player on the pitch by a distance, and if Morocco keep getting that version of him, they will be very difficult to stop.
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