Morocco Eliminates Co-host, Reach Quarter Finals

The Atlas Lions of Morocco Saturday night became the first nation to book a place in the quarter-finals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Conversely, one of the three co-hosts, Canada, became the first nation to lose at the round of 16 at the ongoing FIFA World Cup. They also unenviably became the first of the three co-hosts to exit the tournament jointly hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the USA.

Though the North Africans were not superb in the first 45 minutes, they came back from the half-time hungry and scored three unreplied goals to advance to the last eight to await the winner between Paraguay and France.

Five minutes from resumption, Moroccan midfielder, Azzedine Ounahi opened scoring with a 50-minute strike, give the Africans the lead.

The North Americans desperately fought to come back on levels and perhaps remain in the tournament. However, it was the Atlas Lions, who were semi-finalists at the last World Cup in 2022 that scored again to further cement their feet in the last eight.

Morocco completed the night with a perfect strike from Rahimi at the dying minute of the match, thus taking the game beyond the Canadians and making it 3-0 at full time.

With the 3-0 win and a place in the quarter-finals guaranteed, the North Africans are just a step from equalling their 2022 records of a semi-final finish. However, they will have to defeat one of tournament favourites and former champions France who has just defeated Paraguay to set up an encounter with one of their former African colonies.

Source: MRA