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Rabat – Morocco and Canada will meet once again on the World Cup stage when they face each other in the Round of 16 on Saturday in Houston. The match brings back memories of their previous meeting at the 2022 FIFA World Cup group stage, when the Atlas Lions secured a 2-1 victory to finish top of their group and begin their historic run to the semi-finals.
Teams’ history
The last World Cup encounter in Qatar 2022 remains the clash between the two nations in the history of this tournament. Morocco won the game by an early lead through Hakim Ziyech before Youssef En-Nesyri doubled the advantage. Canada pulled one goal back after an own goal, but Morocco held on to secure qualification for the knockout stage.
Four years later, the stakes are even higher. A place in the quarterfinals is on the line, with both teams arriving in Houston after impressive Round of 32 victories. Morocco eliminated the Netherlands in a penalty shootout after a dramatic 1-1 draw, while Canada edged South Africa 1-0 to book its place in the last 16.
Morocco enters the match with confidence after another strong 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign. Under head coach Mohamed Ouahbi, the Atlas Lions have combined their traditional defensive strength with a more attacking style of play, making them one of the tournament’s most balanced teams.
Canada, however, will be determined to make history. The co-hosts have continued their progress on the international stage and will see Saturday’s match as an opportunity to avenge their 2022 defeat while reaching the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time.
Match prediction
Morocco is likely to dominate possession while Canada looks to attack in transition using the pace of Jonathan Davies and Tajon Buchanan. The Atlas Lions have shown remarkable composure in pressure situations, especially after eliminating the Netherlands, while Canada enters the match full of confidence after knocking out South Africa.
Many analysts consider Morocco the slight favorite because of its recent 2022 World Cup experience and consistency in knockout matches. Still, Canada has shown throughout the tournament that it can compete with top teams, setting up what promises to be one of the most exciting Round of 16 matches.
