Key stats
- Morocco have scored in their last six games in the World Cup, their longest run of games with a goal in the competition (since at least 1965/1966).
- Brahim Diaz has the most assists of any African player in World Cup history (four).
- Morocco now account for 50% of all African knockout stage victories in FIFA World Cup history (four of eight), Cameroon, Senegal, Ghana and Egypt each have one.
Highlights
Analysis
Match report
Canada may have been priced up as sizeable outsiders pre-game, but it was the co-hosts who started like the side bearing the weight of expectancy.
A gilt-edged opportunity presented itself inside the opening 15 minutes, when Tani Oluwaseyi was found inside the area, where he fired into the legs of Yassine Bounou when met by the Moroccan stopper.
Opportunities were at a premium for large parts of the first period, but the half-chances that did arrive kept falling to Canada, with an unmarked Alistair Johnston heading straight at a Moroccan defender from 12 yards.
Morocco were rather lacklustre throughout the opening 45 minutes, and that was encapsulated by the fact that their only sight of goal in the first half was a pot-shot from distance from Soufiane Rahimi, which was easily gathered by Maxime Crépeau.
The HT interval came at a perfect time for the Moroccans, and whatever boss Mohamed Ouahbi said evidently worked absolute wonders as they hit the front within five minutes of the restart.
An inventive free-kick saw Achraf Hakimi find the unmarked Azzedine Ounahi on the edge of the area, and he made no mistake in sweeping into the bottom corner to leave Canada rueing their missed opportunities.
By the time the second half’s hydration arrived, Canada’s last shot on target remained from Oluwaseyi in the 11th minute, and a huge chance to work Bounou went begging a little over 10 minutes from time when Jonathan David clipped a free-kick well over the bar from the edge of the box.
That prompted Canada boss Jesse Marsch to shuffle his pack, and his decision sparked an immediate response, with Tajon Buchanan’s stinging drive from distance needing turning around the post as the co-hosts started to ramp up the pressure.
But in pressing for a leveller, Canada were hit with the ultimate sucker punch. Brahim Díaz was freed down the right and made the unselfish decision to step inside and tee up Ounahi, who sent a rocket into the roof of the net, securing their safe passage to the last eight in the process.
Seven wins from their last nine knockout ties at major tournaments showcase how dangerous Morocco could be in the latter stages of this competition, and Soufiane Rahimi emphasised that by adding a third goal with almost the last kick of the game.
Although Canada are left to deal with the immediate disappointment of defeat, they’d already made history, having progressed beyond a WC group stage for the first time ever.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Azzedine Ounahi (Morocco)