Azzedine Ounahi scores twice as Morocco beat co-hosts Canada 3-0 to reach FIFA World Cup quarterfinals

Morocco booked their place in the FIFA World Cup quarter-finals with a commanding 3-0 victory over co-host Canada on Saturday, ending the hosts' dream of a deep tournament run and setting up a possible clash with France. The African champions secured the win in Houston thanks to a brace from Azzedine Ounahi and a stoppage-time goal from Soufiane Rahimi. Morocco will now face the winner of Saturday's last-16 encounter between France and Paraguay in Philadelphia.

After producing a stunning upset over the Netherlands in the previous round, Morocco were tested early by a determined Canadian side that controlled much of the opening stages in a physical contest at NRG Stadium. The breakthrough finally arrived shortly after the restart when Ounahi fired a powerful low strike from the edge of the penalty area to give Morocco the lead.

Ounahi doubled his tally with eight minutes remaining to put the result beyond doubt before Rahimi sealed the victory with a clinical counter-attacking finish deep into stoppage time.

The result also raises the possibility of a World Cup rematch between Morocco and France, who famously met in the semifinals of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. France will attempt to secure their place in the quarterfinals later on Saturday when they take on Paraguay at Philadelphia's Lincoln Financial Field, where players are expected to contend with extreme temperatures during the Independence Day holiday weekend in the United States. Temperatures in Philadelphia climbed to 38 degrees Celsius (101 degrees Fahrenheit) on Friday, with the US National Weather Service forecasting similarly intense heat for the 5:00 p.m. local kickoff.

Also Read: FIFA WC 2026, France vs Paraguay R16: When and where to watch live streaming in India?

Paraguay vs France Photograph: (WION)

France head coach Didier Deschamps said his team is prepared for the challenging conditions. "It is something we need to take into account, but I think every team has prepared for it. It can have an impact on all the teams," said Deschamps. “This will be our fifth game at the tournament and that will have an impact as well, but I am not fixated on the heat.” France have emerged as one of the tournament's standout teams, scoring 13 goals in four matches to reach the knockout stage with attacking performances.

However, the French side are expected to be without midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni, who has reportedly been ruled out with a thigh injury. Manu Kone is expected to replace him in midfield. Paraguay head coach Gustavo Alfaro insisted his team is more concerned about France's attacking quality than the soaring temperatures. "France are like an electrical storm. We need to be aware that the storm is coming and try to be prepared for the lightning bolts," Alfaro said.

“We are used to the heat, and of course we have to suffer with it. You would never play a World Cup game at 5:00 pm in Paraguay, and if we did we might lose, but it's like when you go to Quito (to play Ecuador), and you have to be ready for the altitude.” Paraguay advanced to the last 16 after an impressive victory over Germany and are expected to provide another physically demanding challenge for France. France forward Bradley Barcola believes Paraguay will combine physicality with quality on the ball. "It's a team that defends a lot. They're going to dish out a lot of knocks," Barcola said. "But they are also a footballing team. We saw that against Germany."