Overview
- Morocco eliminated co‑host Canada with a 3–0 win in Houston on Saturday, July 4, as Azzedine Ounahi scored in the 50th and 82nd minutes and Soufiane Rahimi added a goal in the eighth minute of stoppage time.
- Ismael Saibari, newly signed by Bayern Munich, left the game injured about 22 minutes in after holding his right rear thigh and was substituted, creating uncertainty over Morocco’s attacking options for the next match.
- The match was fiercely contested and disciplinary, with referee Michael Oliver issuing multiple cautions including six yellow cards in the first half that shaped a physical, stop‑start first 45 minutes.
- Canada’s tournament ends after its first-ever World Cup knockout win against South Africa; coach Jesse Marsch praised Morocco’s quality but said he was proud of his team’s progress and effort.
- France reportedly beat Paraguay 1–0 by a Kylian Mbappé penalty and is set to meet Morocco in the quarterfinals in Boston, a matchup that would echo the teams’ 2022 World Cup semifinal meeting.