Canada 0-3 Morocco: Rahimi inspires ruthless Atlas Lions into World Cup quarter-finals

Morocco produced a clinical, controlled performance to beat Canada 3-0 in Match Round 16 of the World Cup, booking their place in the quarter-finals and underlining their growing reputation as one of the tournament’s most balanced sides.

• Canada will play with . , on .
• Morocco will play with France. July 09 at 20:00 (GMT), on None.

Canada

• Maxime Crépeau (5.9)
• Alistair William Johnston (6)
• Moïse Bombito Lumpungu (5.3)
• Luc Rollet De Fougerolles (5.6)
• Richmond Mamah Laryea (6.7)
• Tajon Trevor Buchanan (5.9)
• Niko Kristian Sigur (6.9)
• Stephen Antunes Eustáquio (7.5)
• Ali Ahmed (6.9)
• Jonathan Christian David (6.5)
• Tanitoluwa Oluwatimikhin Oluwaseyi (7.3)

Morocco

Substitutions:

Canada

• Tanitoluwa Oluwatimikhin Oluwaseyi (Cyle Christopher Larin, 63)
• Richmond Mamah Laryea (Jacob Everett Shaffelburg, 78)
• Ali Ahmed (Promise Oluwatobi Emmanuel Akinpelu, 78)
• Tajon Trevor Buchanan (Jayden Nelson, 87)
• Niko Kristian Sigur (Jonathan Osorio, 87)

Morocco

• Ismael Saibari Ben El Basra (Soufiane Rahimi, 22)
• Ayyoub Bouaddi (Sofyan Amrabat, 63)
• Bilal El Khannouss (Chemsdine Talbi, 63)
• Azzedine Ounahi (Samir El Mourabet, 87)
• Issa Laye Lucas Jean Diop (Marwane Saâdane, 87)

Ball possession:

Canada, playing in the World Cup knockouts for the first time, enjoyed long spells of possession and registered more attempts, but were repeatedly picked off by Morocco’s incisive attacking and disciplined defending.

Passes:

Morocco edge the ball, dominate the moments —————————————– On the raw numbers, the contest looked even. Morocco shaded ball possession with 55% to Canada’s 45%, and both sides were willing to attack. But while Canada mustered 11 total shots – only three of which were on target – Morocco were far more ruthless, directing four of their five efforts on target and turning three of them into goals.

Defense:

Soufiane Rahimi was the standout in front of goal for the North Africans, leading their tally of shots on target and proving the difference in both penalty areas. His movement continually unsettled Canada’s back line, and his composure in the box provided the clinical edge the game revolved around.

Face-to-face:

Jonathan David, by contrast, embodied Canada’s evening. He was the most active shooter on the pitch, repeatedly finding space and pulling the trigger, but he could not turn pressure into a breakthrough against an organised Moroccan defence that tightened at every critical moment.

Fouls:

Yellow cards:

• Richmond Mamah Laryea (Canada) at 40 minute
• Jonathan Christian David (Canada) at 43 minute
• Luc Rollet De Fougerolles (Canada) at 49 minute
• Cyle Christopher Larin (Canada) at 67 minute
• Redouane Halhal (Morocco) at 20 minute
• Achraf Hakimi Mouh (Morocco) at 40 minute
• Bilal El Khannouss (Morocco) at 45 minute
• Azzedine Ounahi (Morocco) at 45 minute

The last five games (including this match):

• Canada –
• Morocco –

Top 5 World Cup scorers:

1. Masour Ousmane Dembélé (3, )
2. Harry Edward Kane (3, )
3. Kylian Mbappé Lottin (2, )
4. Ismaïla Sarr (2, )
5. Romelu Menama Lukaku Bolingoli (2, )

Line-ups:

Next games:

• Canada will play with . , on .
• Morocco will play with France. July 09 at 20:00 (GMT), on None.