Morocco’s victory over Canada sparked celebrations in St-Léonard on Saturday, where hundreds of supporters gathered around a giant outdoor screen to watch the Atlas Lions advance to the World Cup quarter-finals.
Yet even as Moroccan flags waved overhead and car horns sounded through the neighbourhood, many supporters were quick to praise Canada’s performance.
“Canada lost with honour,” said Ayoub Oukal, a Moroccan-Canadian supporter watching the match.
The free watch party, organized by the SDC Jean-Talon Est, drew hundreds to the corner of Jean-Talon St. E. and Pontoise St., where about 150 seats were set up in front of a giant outdoor screen, and many others watched standing behind the viewing area.
Mariana, right, joins as fans celebrate Morocco’s World Cup win over Canada at a street watch party in St-Léonard on Saturday. Allen McInnis / Montreal Gazette
Supporters wearing Moroccan jerseys packed the site throughout the afternoon, reacting to every chance and near miss as Morocco secured a 3-0 victory over one of the tournament’s host nations.
“This is by far the biggest watch party we’ve had so far,” said Pierre Frisko, director-general of the SDC Jean-Talon Est. “We have a large Moroccan community in Montreal, and people were really excited for this match.”
The event opened at 12:30 p.m. and included games and prizes before the match, with a DJ scheduled to perform afterward. Frisko said the organization has already hosted two World Cup watch parties during the tournament and plans to host two more next weekend.
For many supporters, the afternoon carried significance beyond the result itself. Morocco’s run has become a source of pride for members of Montreal’s Moroccan community, many of whom gathered with family and friends to watch the match.
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Despite celebrating Morocco’s win, several fans said the final score did not reflect Canada’s performance.
“The first half was almost completely dominated by Canada,” said Bilal Oukal. “We thought they could win.”
His brother agreed.
“If Canada had scored one or two goals in the first half, it would have been very difficult for Morocco,” Ayoub said. “They pressed Morocco a lot.”
For Ali, who moved to Montreal from Morocco about 20 years ago, the event was a reminder of home.
“It’s like having a piece of home here,” he said. “You leave your country, but you never forget where you come from. When you see everyone together — families, children, people waving flags and celebrating — it brings back a lot of memories.”
Ali said gatherings like Saturday’s watch party allow people to celebrate both their heritage and their lives in Canada.
“Morocco will always be part of who we are,” he said. “But Montreal is home, too. Being able to celebrate Morocco here, with people from different backgrounds joining in, makes it even more special.”
Ben-Abbas Ouiam holds an ancient flag of Morocco as she and other fans celebrate Morocco’s World Cup victory over Canada on Saturday in St-Léonard. Allen McInnis / Montreal Gazette
As the final whistle sounded, supporters rushed toward the front of the viewing area, waving flags, embracing friends and stopping for photos in front of the giant screen. Some lingered long after the match had ended, celebrating Morocco’s place in the quarter-finals.
Among them was Ben-Abbas Ouiam, who moved to Montreal from Morocco when she was 18.
She said celebrating Morocco’s victory in Montreal gave the moment added significance.
“It’s a celebration with Canadians, too, now,” she said.
“I love seeing Morocco and Canada together like this.”