Mohamed Ouahbi did not try to hide the difficulties faced by Morocco against Canada. After the 3-0 victory of the Atlas Lions in the Round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup, the Moroccan coach acknowledged that his team had been shaken, particularly during a challenging first half.
“It’s a World Cup match, and these are tough matches, with teams playing for their lives. We reacted very well in the second half, on second balls and in duels,” said Mohamed Ouahbi after the match.
Canada started with a lot of intensity, applying strong pressure on the Moroccan block. The Atlas Lions sometimes lacked precision in their passes and had to rely on their solidity to stay in the game. Ouahbi also took the time to commend the opponent’s performance.
“I must acknowledge that Canada was impressive; they played a great match. It was not a surprise for us, but in the second half, we were able to take advantage of the spaces they left us. That was the key,” added the Moroccan coach.
This reaction quickly translated to the scoreboard. In the 50th minute, Azzedine Ounahi opened the scoring after a cleverly executed free kick with Achraf Hakimi. The Moroccan midfielder, named man of the match, then scored a second goal in the 82nd minute, confirming his importance in this qualification.
In stoppage time, Soufiane Rahimi sealed Morocco’s success by scoring the third goal. A wide victory on the scoreboard, but built with patience, discipline, and efficiency after a more challenging first half.
Thanks to this success, Morocco reaches the quarter-finals for the second consecutive World Cup. A historic performance for African football, confirming the consistency of the Atlas Lions at the highest global level and the ability of Mohamed Ouahbi’s group to rise to the occasion in major events.
