2026 World Cup

Morocco and France through to the quarter-finals. Ounahi leads the Atlas Lions, Mbappé sees off Paraguay

In Houston, the North Africans beat Canada 3–0, whilst in Philadelphia the Bleus struggled more than expected to get the better of Paraguay (1–0). France and Morocco will face each other on 9 July in Boston in the quarter-finals

by Marco Bellinazzo

5 July 2026

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3' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

3' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

The first two round-of-16 matches at the 2026 World Cup saw Morocco and France progress to the quarter-finals. In Houston, the North Africans comfortably beat Canada 3–0, whilst in Philadelphia, Les Bleus had to work much harder than expected to overcome a tough and well-organised Paraguay side, who were only beaten by a second-half penalty from Kylian Mbappé.

Canada v Morocco 0–3

The match took place at the NRG Stadium in Houston, with Canada putting in an aggressive and courageous performance in the first half. The Canadians got off to a better start, creating a number of chances through Jonathan David and Oluwaseyi, but they were thwarted by an alert Bounou.

After a closely contested first half that ended 0–0, the match changed dramatically in the second half. In the 50th minute, Morocco took the lead through Azzedine Ounahi, who, following a set-piece taken by Hakimi from the right flank, fired a low shot from the edge of the box that caught Crépeau off guard.

Canada tried to fight back, but the Moroccan side, coached by Mohamed Ouahbi, showed great tactical maturity. In the 82nd minute, Ounahi doubled the lead, set up perfectly by Brahim Diaz, who put in a superb performance and provided two decisive assists.

In stoppage time, in the 90th minute plus 8 seconds, Morocco sealed the victory once and for all. Once again, Brahim Diaz played Soufiane Rahimi through on goal, and Rahimi kept his cool in front of Crépeau to make it 3-0.

The final score may seem lopsided, but it does not tell the whole story of the match. Canada played with good intensity in the first half, creating chances and putting the Moroccans under pressure. In the second half, however, Morocco’s technical superiority and greater international experience came to the fore.

The man of the match is undoubtedly Azzedine Ounahi, who scored the two goals that secured qualification. Brahim Diaz also played a key role, proving decisive with two assists and numerous moments of quality play. Bounou also put in a very strong performance, proving crucial in the early stages of the match.

Paraguay v France 0–1

At Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, France found themselves in far greater difficulty than expected against Gustavo Alfaro’s Paraguay. The South Americans put up a veritable defensive wall, leaving very little space for Didier Deschamps’ side.

In the first half, Les Bleus dominated possession but failed to create any clear-cut chances. Attempts by Koné, Rabiot and Mbappé from outside the box were thwarted by Paraguay’s well-organised defence and the excellent goalkeeper, Orlando Gill.

The turning point came in the second half. The introduction of Désiré Doué added an element of unpredictability to the French attack. In the 70th minute, after a slaloming run through the box, he made contact with Diego Gómez, resulting in a penalty awarded following a VAR review. Kylian Mbappé stepped up to take the spot-kick, sending Gill the wrong way to make it 1–0.

In the closing stages, Paraguay tried to push forward, but France also had chances to double their lead. Gill was once again the standout performer, denying Mbappé a brace on several occasions with some spectacular saves.

France did not shine, but they showed patience and maturity, securing qualification in a match made difficult by the heat and Paraguay’s extremely defensive approach.

The standout performer for Les Bleus was Mbappé, who proved decisive with the winning goal and was a constant threat in attack. Doué also made a great impact, setting up the move that led to the penalty. At the other end, the standout performer was Orlando Gill, who made numerous saves that kept Paraguay in the game right until the very end.

The quarter-finals

Following their victories in the round of 16, Morocco and France will face each other in the quarter-finals in what will be a repeat of the 2022 World Cup semi-final. The match is scheduled for Thursday 9 July 2026 at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough (Boston Stadium), Massachusetts.

It promises to be a thrilling clash between the creative flair of Morocco’s Hakimi, Brahim Diaz and Ounahi and the attacking power of France, led by Mbappé, with a place in the World Cup semi-finals at stake.