07/04/26 04:21:00
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07/04 16:19 CDT Morocco beats World Cup co-host Canada 3-0 and advances to the
quarterfinals
Morocco beats World Cup co-host Canada 3-0 and advances to the quarterfinals
By KRISTIE RIEKEN
AP Sports Writer
HOUSTON (AP) --- Morocco is heading back to the quarterfinals and coach Mohamed
Ouahbi believes his team has established itself among soccer's elite.
Azzedine Ounahi scored twice to lead Morocco to a 3-0 win over Canada in the
World Cup round of 16 Saturday to make the country the first African nation to
reach the quarterfinals more than once.
"We are no longer a surprise," Ouahbi said through a translator. "Now when
people talk about Morocco we're a major contender and it's a great source of
pride. I think it's only the beginning and I hope we continue to have runs like
this."
And despite already making history in this World Cup, Morocco has much higher
goals.
"We want to keep going," Ouahbi said. "We don't want to stop."
It's Morocco's second straight appearance in the round of eight after becoming
the first African team to reach the semifinals in 2022.
"We are so proud to represent Africa because it's a continent with a lot of
talent and Africa deserves to be in the best level in football," Morocco
goalkeeper Yassine Bounou said.
Neither team was able to break through until Ounahi took a free kick from
Achraf Hakimi and made a right-footed shot through traffic from outside the box
to the bottom right corner to put Morocco on top 1-0 in the 50th minute.
Ounahi made it 2-0 on a right-footed shot from the middle of the box off a pass
from Brahim Daz in the 82nd minute.
Soufiane Rahimi added a goal in the final minute of stoppage time.
Morocco advances to face the winner of Saturday's Paraguay-France match on
Thursday at Boston Stadium.
The loss ends a historic run for World Cup co-host Canada, which won its
first-ever knockout round with a 1-0 victory over South Africa to reach
Saturday's match. The country was playing in the World Cup for just the third
time and the run enchanted a nation that is normally far more interested in
hockey than the pitch.
Canada coach Jesse Marsch shared his postgame message to the team.
"I told them that I was proud of them and I challenged them to understand that
we can play like this all the time against the best teams in the world," he
said. "We can be better on the day. And then the challenge is, can we hold that
standard for 90 minutes?"
Morocco, which is ranked sixth in the FIFA rankings, dispatched the Netherlands
in a penalty shootout to reach the round of 16 and send the country to its
earliest World Cup exit.
Though Marsch mistakenly said Morocco is ranked one spot lower than it is, he
lauded how his team performed against a squad of its caliber and of how Canada
controlled the match for much of the day.
"The way we pushed, the way we were in the match, the quality we showed, the
overall impact in the match, we were better," he said. "We were better than the
No. 7 team in the world today."
Ouahbi had a strong response when told of those comments.
"In terms of intensity they were good," he said. "They were good for 98
minutes. Were they better? It's hard to say. It takes some nerve to say that
when you lose 3-nil."
Canada had a couple of chances to score late. Jonathan David had a free kick
from outside the box in the 78th minute, but his shot sailed over the crossbar.
Just after that Tajon Buchanan's shot from about 30 yards was stopped with a
diving save from Bounou. Bounou, who was born in Canada to Moroccan parents,
had three saves to help Morocco to the win.
Canada reached the round of 16 despite missing star Alphonso Davies for the
majority of the tournament because of a hamstring injury. The Bayern Munich
player logged only 15 minutes as a substitute in the victory over South Africa
but wasn't available Saturday.
"His hamstring didn't feel right," Marsch said. "We were hoping that by the
time he woke up this morning that he would feel better, but he didn't."
This game was a rematch from the last World Cup when Morocco beat Canada 2-1 in
the group stage in a tournament in which Morocco finished fourth.
It was an extremely physical match with eight yellow cards being issued. Both
teams received four.
Hakimi and Canada's Richie Laryea received yellow cards in the 40th minute.
Hakimi shoved Laryea to the ground and then Laryea pushed him and a minor
scuffle ensued.
Morocco midfielder Ismael Saibari left with an injury in the 22nd minute.
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