It\u2019s Morocco\u2019s second straight appearance in the quarterfinals after becoming the first African team to reach the semifinals in 2022.<\/p>\n
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Neither team was able to break through until Ounahi took a free kick from Achraf Hakimi and made a right-footed shot through traffic from outside the box to the bottom right corner to put Morocco on top 1-0 in the 50th minute.<\/p>\n
Ounahi made it 2-0 on a right-footed shot from the middle of the box off a pass from Brahim D\u00edaz in the 82nd minute.<\/p>\n
Soufiane Rahimi added a goal in the final minute of stoppage time.<\/p>\n
Morocco is through to the quarterfinals! \ud83c\uddf2\ud83c\udde6 #FIFAFanFestival<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/TfGZCuZZef<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 FIFA World Cup 26 Houston\u2122 (@FWC26Houston) July 4, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n Morocco advances to face the winner of Saturday\u2019s Paraguay-France match on Thursday at Boston Stadium.<\/p>\n The loss ends a historic run for World Cup co-host Canada, which won its first-ever knockout round\u00a0with a 1-0 victory over South Africa<\/a> to reach Saturday\u2019s match. The country was playing in the World Cup for just the third time and the run enchanted a nation that is normally far more interested in hockey than the pitch.<\/p>\n Morocco, which is ranked sixth in the FIFA rankings,\u00a0dispatched the Netherlands in a penalty shootout<\/a> to reach the round of 16 and send the country to its earliest World Cup exit.<\/p>\n Canada had a couple of chances to score late. Jonathan David had a free kick from outside the box in the 78th minute, but his shot sailed over the crossbar.<\/p>\n Just after that Tajon Buchanan\u2019s shot from about 30 yards was stopped with a diving save from goalkeeper Yassine Bounou. Bounou, who was born in Canada to Moroccan parents, had three saves to help Morocco to the win.<\/p>\n H-Town, this is it \ud83c\udfdf\ufe0f#FIFAWorldCup<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/0956Nf8y0i<\/a><\/p>\n