A change in the system has brought Moroccan midfielder Azzedine Ounahi higher up the pitch in a new role and led to his two goals in Saturday’s 3-0 win over Canada at the World Cup, coach Mohamed Ouahbi said.
Morocco were the comprehensive winners after struggling to beat Canada in the first half, with Ounahi scoring the first two goals in an excellent display of finishing.
“We changed our system so he now plays further up the field,” Ouahbi told reporters.
«He needs to play more in the final third. He is a very valuable player and able to break through the opponent’s pressure and break through the lines with his runs.»
Canada created more chances in the first half, with coach Jesse Marsch describing his side as in «total control.» But Morocco was much better after the break.
“The first half was very intense, a few adjustments had to be made at halftime,” Ouahbi said. “We showed some video at the break and after that we had a lot more control.
Ounahi scored two goals in the second half to put Canada in a corner. | Photo credit: Reuters
Ounahi scored two goals in the second half to put Canada in a corner. | Photo credit: Reuters
«I won’t go into detail about what we said because we still have a number of games to play. We haven’t changed our identity or playing philosophy, but we had to use our midfield and (goalkeeper Yassine) Bounou to prevent them from pressing. We knew there were spaces behind (the defense) that we could exploit.»
Ouahbi was also impressed by his side’s resilience as they failed to take control of the match in the opening period.
«We have tried to make it clear to our players that this is the World Cup, which means there will be difficult moments. It’s about being resilient when we are not at our best,» he said.
«When people talk about Morocco, they talk about a real contender and a great football nation. That is a great source of pride. We want to continue, we don’t want to stop. We will keep the same ambition and the same goal (to win the World Cup).»
A major concern for Morocco was the sight of leader Ismael Saibari limping midway through the first half.
“I haven’t had a chance to talk to the doctor yet,” the coach said. «Saibari had some pain in his thigh. We will know more in the coming days.»
Published on July 5, 2026
