After a huge win against South Africa, hosts Canada will take to the pitch this evening in Houston with an even bigger task on their hands. Morocco have been many peoples’ choice as a dark horse and have proved their worth time and time again in this tournament.
Their confidence will be high and the Atlas Lions won’t flinch in the face of the host nation. But Canada have proved themselves in their own right, qualifying in second from group B and gathering momentum into the knockout stage.
Captained by PSG’s Champions League winner Achraf Hakimi, Morocco have significant star power in their ranks. Goals haven’t been hard to come by and a main contributor is new Bayern Munich player Ismael Saibari who makes up just one part of a formidable offensive line.
In their previous game they knocked out European giants the Netherlands and held strong through extra time to clinch a dramatic penalty shootout win.
Morocco naturally focus play down the right side, hoping talisman Hakimi can create a wide battle that will unsettle the Canadian team. His overlapping runs and attacking tendencies make life hard for both wingers and fullbacks.
Going forward their free flowing approach will test the Canadians as they frequently rotate positions depending on the situation allowing freedom for top players like Brahim Diaz to really hurt teams that aren’t prepared. And the Real Madrid man will be looking to exploit the spaces left by Canada’s aggressive press.
Something that has really stood out about Morocco this tournament is their composure and tempo control. They take ownership of games and shut out opposition, smothering them with strong periods of possession. Their quality is evident and breakout star Ayyoub Bouaddi will be looking to further grow his already long list of admirers with a strong midfield performance.
But Canada won’t roll over and nor should they. They have proven they belong on the world’s biggest stage and will be looking to break more records as they continue through the tournament.
Canada tend to be the direct opposite of Morocco in possession, while Hakimi and co will try to use short, sharp passing to slow the tempo and pull them out of shape. The hosts will aim to be fast and physical, highlighting the importance of the midfield battle as the result could favour the team that takes charge in the centre of the pitch.
This is key for Canada due to their transitional style, breaking quickly after winning the ball. Should he play, Alphonso Davies’ unique ability to carry the ball directly for long distances could prove to be one of Morocco’s toughest tests to date.
But Canada’s strength doesn’t end there, in-form striker Jonathan David will be looking to add to his World Cup goal tally, after his hattrick against Qatar in the group stage.
The two teams have only faced off twice in their history with Morocco coming out on top both times. But the Canadians will have home crowd advantage and will relish their role as underdogs. Setting us up for a mouth watering tie in Texas.
Predicted Line ups
Predictions
As is typical from knockout football we’re expecting a cagey affair, with under 2.5 goals sitting at 55% chance.
Morocco are the favourites, with a 52% forecast to progress to the next round, however with 1.6 expected goals, it could be a close one.
With significant absences in defence as well as a threatening Canada attack, the model leans towards both teams finding the net.