Morocco will be aiming to continue their impressive World Cup journey when they take on co-hosts Canada in a high-stakes Round of 16 clash at Houston Stadium on Sunday, with a place in the quarter-finals at stake.
The Atlas Lions arrive full of confidence after surviving a dramatic knockout encounter against the Netherlands. Trailing late in the match, Morocco forced extra time through Issa Diop’s equaliser before holding their nerve to win the penalty shootout and book their place in the last 16.
Canada, meanwhile, kept their home supporters dreaming after edging South Africa 1-0 in a tense contest. Stephen Eustaquio emerged as the hero, scoring the decisive late goal to send the co-hosts into another knockout test.
History favours the North Africans heading into Sunday’s meeting. The two sides last met at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, where Morocco claimed a 2-1 victory in the Group F clash thanks to early strikes from Hakim Ziyech and Youssef En-Nesyri.
That victory proved to be another stepping stone in Morocco’s historic campaign as they went on to top a group that included Croatia and Belgium before becoming the first African nation to reach the FIFA World Cup semi-finals.
Canada will now hope to rewrite that script on home soil, while Morocco seek another memorable victory as they continue their pursuit of World Cup glory.
