Canada’s World Cup dream has come to an end.
Fighting to build on its best-ever finish at the tournament, Canada had its run cut short with a 3-0 loss to Morocco in the Round of 16 in Houston on Saturday.
The decisive blow to the co-hosts came early in the second half, as midfielder Azzedine Ounahi blasted a low shot through traffic into the bottom corner past the outstretched diving hands of goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau.
Though Canada put up a fight until the end, pressuring the Africa Cup of Nations champions with 32 touches in the opposing box to Morocco’s 10, the Red and White were unable to break through.
Ounahi put the finishing touches on the win, capping off his brace in the 82nd minute by potting a shot into the top corner. Then, in the eighth minute of stoppage time, Soufiane Rahimi added another, rubbing salt in Canada’s wound.
With the win, Morocco advances to the quarterfinals, where a match against France or Paraguay awaits. Those two sides will face off later on Saturday.