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Morocco Dazzles, Canada Eliminated in World Cup Thriller!
5 Jul
Summary
- Morocco defeated co-hosts Canada 3-0 to advance to the quarterfinals.
- Azzedine Ounahi scored twice, becoming a historic Moroccan and African player.
- Kylian Mbappé is one goal away from setting a new FIFA World Cup scoring record.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup's Round of 16 commenced with a thrilling encounter, seeing Morocco decisively defeat co-hosts Canada 3-0. This victory marks a significant achievement for Morocco, as they become the first African team to reach back-to-back World Cup quarterfinals. They are also the first African nation to win two knockout stage matches outright in a single tournament.
Azzedine Ounahi was the standout performer for Morocco, scoring twice and etching his name in the record books. He is the first Moroccan player to achieve this feat since 1998 and joins an elite group of African players with multiple goals in a World Cup knockout stage. Canada's journey ends in the Round of 16, marking their first appearance at this stage and continuing a CONCACAF drought in reaching the quarterfinals.
In parallel, Kylian Mbappé continues his remarkable goal-scoring form. He netted his seventh goal of the tournament, drawing level with Lionel Messi in the Golden Boot race and is now just one goal shy of Messi's all-time FIFA World Cup scoring record. This sets the stage for an exciting quarterfinal clash between Morocco and France, a rematch of the dramatic 2022 FIFA World Cup semifinals.
