Canada’s magical World Cup run hinges on slaying one of modern game’s giants
Canada and Morocco set for World Cup rematch
The Canadian men’s national team is set to face Morocco in the Round of 16 at the World Cup. This upcoming match marks the second consecutive World Cup where these two nations will compete against each other. Morocco secured their spot in the Round of 16 after defeating the Netherlands in a penalty shootout on Monday, following a 1-1 draw after 120 minutes in Guadalupe, Mexico.
The previous encounter between Canada and Morocco took place during the group stage of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. In that match, Morocco emerged with a 2-1 victory over Canada. Cody Gakpo scored for the Netherlands in the 73rd minute, but Issa Diop equalized for Morocco in stoppage time, leading to the penalty shootout where Ismael Saibari scored the decisive goal.
In the 2022 World Cup, both teams were part of Group F. Canada, then ranked 41st, had already been eliminated from knockout stage contention before their final group match against Morocco. Morocco, ranked 22nd at the time, was in a strong position to win Group F.
The 2022 match, held on December 1, 2022, at Al Thumama Stadium in Doha, Qatar, saw Morocco take an early lead. Hakim Ziyech scored in the fourth minute, followed by a goal from Youssef En-Nesyri, assisted by Achraf Hakimi, putting Morocco up 2-0. Canada managed to get one goal back late in the first half through an own goal by Morocco’s Nayef Aguerd.
Despite the 2-1 loss, Canada maintained 59 percent of possession in the 2022 game but did not register a shot on net. Morocco went on to have a historic run in the 2022 World Cup, defeating Spain and Portugal in the knockout rounds before falling to France 2-0 in the semifinal and Croatia 2-1 in the third-place game, marking the best result for an African team in World Cup history.
Changes since 2022 and current form
Significant changes have occurred for both teams since their 2022 World Cup encounter. Both nations have new managers; Jesse Marsch took over for Canada in May 2024, while Mohamed Ouahbi replaced Walid Regragui for Morocco earlier this year.
The rosters have also seen considerable changes. Morocco has nine players returning from their 2022 semifinal squad, including Achraf Hakimi and goalkeeper Yassine Bounou. New additions to Morocco’s squad include Real Madrid forward Brahim Diaz and PSV Eindhoven attacking midfielder Ismael Saibari, both of whom have family ties to Morocco and were born in Spain. Saibari has scored three goals in this year’s World Cup, and Diaz has two assists.
Other newcomers for Morocco include Fulham defender Issa Diop, PSV Eindhoven defender Anass Salah-Eddine, and 18-year-old Lille midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi, whose national eligibility was approved by FIFA in the last year.
Canada’s current 26-man roster includes half of the players who participated in the 2022 World Cup. This group features defenders Alistair Johnston, Derek Cornelius, Alphonso Davies, Richie Laryea, and Joel Waterman; midfielders Stephen Eustáquio, Ismaël Koné (currently injured), Tajon Buchanan, Liam Millar, and Jonathan Osorio; forwards Jonathan David and Cyle Larin; and backup goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair.
Both teams have shown improvement over the past four years. Morocco, now ranked sixth in the world, won the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations by defeating Senegal. They are considered to have aspirations of becoming the first African team to win a World Cup title.
Canada has risen to 30th in the world rankings and achieved a fourth-place finish at the 2024 Copa America. They advanced to the Round of 16 with a 1-0 victory over South Africa on Sunday in Los Angeles, marking their first appearance in a World Cup knockout game. This followed a 6-0 win over Qatar, which was Canada’s first men’s World Cup victory in history, a 1-1 draw with Bosnia and Herzegovina, and a 2-1 loss to Switzerland in Pool B.
Morocco finished as the runner-up in Pool C, having drawn with Brazil, defeated Scotland 1-0, and beaten Haiti 4-2.
Managerial perspectives and historical context
Despite Canada being seen as underdogs, Morocco manager Mohamed Ouahbi acknowledges the challenge Canada presents. He stated that the team cannot be underestimated, emphasizing that it will not be an easy match for Morocco.
Ouahbi conveyed to the media that his team believes they are unstoppable if they play to their potential, but also cautioned that no team is unbeatable. He stressed the importance of rest and freshness for his squad ahead of the match.
Historically, aside from the 2022 World Cup match, Canada and Morocco have played three previous friendly matches in men’s soccer. Canada lost 3-2 in October 1984, drew 1-1 in June 1994, and suffered a 4-0 defeat in October 2016.
The upcoming Round of 16 match will be held on Saturday in Houston, with the winner potentially facing a strong opponent like France in the quarter-finals.
Canada’s 2022 World Cup captain, Atiba Hutchinson, nearly scored an equalizer in the 71st minute of the 2022 match against Morocco when his header hit the crossbar and landed on the goal line, with a VAR check confirming it did not cross.
Source: tsn.ca
