Canada vs. Morocco key facts
- Final score: Canada 1 - Morocco 2
- Where: Al Thumama Stadium
- Time: Thursday, Dec. 1 at 10:00 a.m. EST
- Official: Raphael Claus
- How to watch: TSN and CTV
Kamal Miller of Canada is challenged by Azzedine Ounahi of Morocco during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Group F match between Canada and Morocco on December 01, 2022 in Doha, Qatar.Catherine Ivill/Getty Images
12:45 p.m.
Canada tallied three losses in this World Cup. None of them were pretty, but two of them were battling
Canada's Milan Borjan looks dejected after Morocco's Hakim Ziyech scores their first goal during the Group F match on Dec. 1, 2022.HANNAH MCKAY/Reuters
Coming into this World Cup, the understanding was that the closest Canada would come to a fair fight would be their last group game.
Belgium and Croatia? Well, probably not. But Morocco? That seemed about Canada’s speed.
That sort of thinking seems a long time ago now.
Thursday’s encounter between the No. 22 (Morocco) and No. 41 (Canada) teams in the world was a game of thirds. From a Canadian perspective, there was a terrible third, a good third and an excruciating third.
If they had started ragged, Canada ended on a tear. Desperate Moroccan fans whistled every time they had the ball. There was a lot of whistling in those last 20 minutes, but for naught.
It’s over now. Canada’s record in this tournament reads three losses. None of them were pretty, but two of them were battling.
We’ll know if that’s enough to build when the next World Cup - one with an entirely different set of expectations - begins in 2026.
Read Cathal Kelly’s full take on Canada’s final World Cup game
12:05 p.m.
Canada has lessons to learn ahead of 2026
And that’s it, it’s all over. Three games, three losses is the story of Canada’s 2022 World Cup, its first foray to the apex of the men’s game in 36 years. While Alphonso Davies’s milestone goal in the second game, against Croatia, will stand as the highlight – or heritage – moment for Canada, as the first scored by a Canadian at the World Cup, the debriefing process will now begin before Canada becomes a co-host of this tournament in four years time.
The final scoring tally tells its own story, with two goals scored – the second an own goal – and seven conceded. While individual errors accounted for some of those – most notably those from goalkeeper Milan Borjan in Thursday’s 2-1 loss to Morocco – Canada showed some tactical naivety for much of the competition.
If John Herdman is to be the man at the helm in 2026, when Canada will qualify automatically, reining in his focus on all-out attack would be a prudent approach. While that might work within the CONCACAF region, where few opponents have players of Davies’s calibre, most successful teams so far at this World Cup have balanced their attack with a foundation of solid defence. Even Brazil, for so long the mythical purveyors of flamboyant futebol, have shown a pragmatism that is based on wearing down opponents through the first half before turning up the intensity with their seemingly endless conveyor belt of attacking substitutes as the game ticks down.
But while Canada goes home, Morocco will advance as the winner of Group F, and will await the second-placed team from Group E in the round-of-16, while Croatia also moves on after its scoreless draw against Belgium.
11:56 a.m.
Final whistle: Morocco defeat Canada 2-1
Morocco win, and qualify for the final 16 at the top of Group F. Croatia will join them, after holding Belgium to a 0-0 draw.
11:35 a.m.
Herdman looking to seize Canada’s opportunity
After giving his starting 11 the first 15 minutes of the second half to continue Canada’s comeback, John Herdman made a statement of intent on the hour mark. He brought on Jonathan David to spice up the attack, along with midfield reinforcements in the shape of Ismael Kone and Atiba Hutchinson, who, at 39, will almost certainly be making his last World Cup appearance for his country of birth.
Richie Laryea came on five minutes later, replacing Jonathan Osorio after 65 minutes. The changes almost paid off within minutes, with Hutchinson heading onto the crossbar from a Junior Hoilett corner. A video review showed that though the ball bounced down, it did not cross the goal line.
Down 2-1, the Canadian men know they are within touching distance of earning a first World Cup point in their sixth game at this level. While Morocco has started the second half content in the knowledge that a point will be enough to qualify it for the last 16, Canada has been allowed to grow back into the game, gaining more possession and territory than it did for large stretches of the first half.
11:26 a.m.
Substitutions for Canada
Multiple changes in the 60th minute, with Atiba Hutchinson, Ismael Kone and Jonathan David all coming on. Heading off the field are Sam Adekugbe, Mark-Anthony Kaye and Cyle Larin.
Five minutes later, Richie Laryea is brought on for Jonathan Osorio.
11:06 a.m.
Second half under way
That Morocco own goal has made a point seem more possible for Canada, despite a lacklustre first-half, but they’ll still have to pull something special out in the next 45 minutes to make that a reality.
10:59 a.m.
Canada coming up short
While Alphonso Davies’s place in Canadian history is secure as the scorer of the country’s first goal at the men’s World Cup, Nayef Aguerd is destined to become an interesting footnote as the second.
Thankfully for Canada though, the Morocco centre-back handed John Herdman’s team a lifeline just four minutes before halftime, diverting a cross from Sam Adekugbe past Yassine Bounou in the Moroccan goal.
It went a long way to make up for an ignominious start to this game for the Canadian men, who conceded twice inside the first 23 minutes. Goalkeeper Milan Borjan didn’t score an own goal himself, but he shot his team in the foot on both occasions, inadvertently passing to Hakim Ziyech in the fourth minute for the Morocco opener, before failing to make what should have been a routine save on Youssef En-Nesyri midway through the first half. After its gung-ho play of the first two matches, when Canada generated 30 shots against Belgium and Croatia, Herdman’s team created few chances here, with just two shots on target. Cyle Larin looked to have served up a goal for club teammate Tajon Buchanan after a quarter-of-an-hour, but Buchanan was unable to direct his shot on target from a right-wing cross. Morocco could have gone even further ahead, as En-Nesyri found the net once again in first-half stoppage time, but the goal was ruled out for offside.
As it stands though, Morocco is set to go through as the winner of Group F, with Croatia qualifying as runners-up if the 0-0 halftime score between it and Belgium holds in the other game in the group.
10:52 a.m.
Half time at Al Thumama
Morocco leads 2-1 as the teams head for a break. Across town, Belgium-Croatia are tied, 0-0 — Canada’s was definitely the match to watch, as that’s also the number of shots on target both European teams have had.
10:41 a.m.
Morocco own goal makes it 2-1
Morocco's goalkeeper Yassine Bounou fails to stop an own goal by Morocco's Nayef Aguerd, not seen, as Canada's Cyle Larin and Morocco's Romain Saiss look on during the World Cup group F soccer match between Canada and Morocco at the Al Thumama Stadium on Thursday, Dec. 1, 2022.Alessandra Tarantino/The Associated Press
Nayef Aguerd attempts to clear a shot from Canada’s Sam Adekugbe out of the box, but ends up shepherding it into Morocco’s net instead.
10:34 a.m.
Disaster for Borjan — again
So much for going out on a high. Canada has turned up at its charitable best in its final match at the 2022 World Cup, gift-wrapping a 2-0 lead for Morocco on this, the first day of December.
After handing Morocco the opening goal just four minutes in, disastrously passing to Hakim Ziyech, Milan Borjan has now been beaten at his near post by Youssef En-Nesyri after 23 minutes. A searching long ball from Paris St-Germain star Achraf Hakimi got beyond the Canadian backline, allowing En-Nesyri to sprint between two defenders before firing a shot almost through Borjan, to put Morocco in sight of the last 16. With Croatia and Belgium still tied 0-0, Morocco would win Group F as things stand after half an hour.
10:27 a.m.
Lots of empty seats at Al Thumama Stadium
About 30 minutes into this game, there are still a lot of empty seats at Al Thumama Stadium. While previous games have seen gaps in the most expensive areas down by the pitch — a common issue given VIP guests can also watch from fully-catered lounges — here there are lots of empty spots even in the normally-packed upper stands. It’s unclear why that might be, though the Croatia-Belgium game happening at the same time may have been more attractive to neutrals. All credit to the Moroccan fans though, if all you could hear was them, you’d never guess this place wasn’t at full capacity.
10:24 a.m.
Morocco make it 2-0
An incredible goal from Morocco’s Youssef En-Nesyri in the 23rd minute leaves the Canadians trailing by 2. As it stands now, with the Belgium-Croatia game at 0-0, Morocco will go through at the top of Group F.
10:20 a.m.
Borjan blunder
If this is Milan Borjan’s last World Cup game, and at 35 years old, that may well be the case, he’s had a nightmare start that may well go down in tournament infamy.
Just four minutes in, the Red Star Belgrade goalkeeper ventured out of his penalty area to pick up a pass sent his way by Steven Vitoria. But, under pressure from a Youssef En-Nesyri, he could do nothing more than pass the ball directly to Morocco winger Hakim Ziyech, who had the simplest of tasks to float the ball over Borjan’s head and into the unguarded net.
Now Borjan’s name will take its place alongside those of former Colombia ‘keeper Rene Higuita, who was similarly caught in possession by Cameroon’s Roger Milla back in 1990, or England’s Rob Green, whose blunder against the U.S. in 2010 has lived an extended life on the highlight reels ever since.
Hakim Ziyech celebrates with teammates after he scored his team's first goal during the match between Canada and Morocco at the Al-Thumama Stadium in Doha on December 1, 2022.NATALIA KOLESNIKOVA/AFP/Getty Images
10:08 a.m.
Goal for Morocco, 1-0
Canadian goalkeeper Milan Borjan runs out of the box to head off a stray ball, but kicks it directly to Morocco’s Hakim Ziyech, who easily lobs it over Borjan and into the goal.
10:00 a.m.
Kick off in Canada’s last game of the World Cup
Things are underway here at the Al Thumama Stadium, with Morocco aiming for qualification to the round of 16 and Canada a commiseration point or three.
By noise at least, Moroccan fans appear to be in a substantial majority, and the stadium shook with their rendition of the country’s national anthem, far more rousing than the comparatively muted “O, Canada” that preceded it.
9:45 a.m.
Canada should start building toward 2026
The knockout rounds of the 2022 World Cup may be out of reach for the Canadian men’s national team, but the work of building towards 2026, when this country will co-host alongside Mexico and the United States, begins in earnest today.
After suffering consecutive defeats for the first time under manager John Herdman – against Belgium and then Croatia – Canada will take on a Morocco team that will be heavily motivated to grab the single point it needs to move on to the last 16 for the first time since 1986.
Herdman has ringed the changes for his 50th game in charge of the men’s team, with three players making their first starts of the tournament. Toronto FC midfield duo Jonathan Osorio and Mark-Anthony Kaye have come in for Atiba Hutchinson and Stephen Eustaquio, while Sam Adekugbe also starts in defence in place of Richie Laryea. In attack, Junior Hoilett is back in, while Jonathan David drops to the bench.
Still trying to earn their first point in men’s World Cup history, Canada will be hoping to give some of its long-serving players a deserved sendoff, while ensuring those who will still be around in four years time get a taste of this level of soccer.
If Canada is to pick up that breakthrough point though, it would help if it brings its shooting boots. The team has attempted 30 shots through two games, which is 11 more than anyone in Group F. However, just five of those have been on target, most principally the header by Alphonso Davies to open Sunday’s game against Croatia, the first World Cup goal scored by a Canadian man.
The team will be hoping for more of the same against Morocco, while looking to avoid its first three-game losing streak since 2016.
Canada fans inside the Al Thumama Stadium before the team's last match at the FIFA World Cup in Qatar.IBRAHEEM AL OMARI/Reuters
9:30 a.m.
Canada fans arrive for the team’s last World Cup match
Fans are trickling into the Al Thumama Stadium, in the southern Doha suburbs, with kick-off just under an hour away. With red being the main colour of both Canada and Morocco, it’s quickly becoming a sea of crimson in here.
Built for this World Cup, FIFA says the all-white, 40,000-seater Al Thumama is intended to represent the gahfiya – a traditional woven cap worn by men and boys across the Middle East. It’s one of several stadiums, such as the Bedouin-tent inspired Al Bayt, which hosted the opening match, whose design reflects local Arab culture.
The next match here will be France v. Poland on Sunday. Morocco will be hoping to join those teams in the Final 16, which it can do with a win over Canada, or a draw provided Belgium do not pick up three points in their match against group leaders Croatia at the same time.
Canadian fans display signs inside the stadium before the team's match against MoroccoIBRAHEEM AL OMARI/Reuters
9 a.m.
How to watch Canada’s last World Cup match
Canada’s last game of the World Cup kicks off today at 10 a.m. ET. The team faces Morocco.
- Canada vs. Belgium: Canada lost 1-0 to Belgium in their opening match. The loss put them at the bottom of Group F, behind Morocco and Croatia who drew, picking up a point each.
- Canada vs. Croatia: Despite Canada scoring its first ever World Cup goal, Croatia cruised to a 4-1 victory. Canada was the second team to be eliminated from the tournament after hosts Qatar.
Fans in Canada can watch the game on TSN, and some matches will be available on CTV. This includes all three of Canada’s group stage matches.
French-language coverage will be available on RDS.
Paul Attfield
James Griffiths