On Saturday evening, Canada and Morocco met in the first Round of 16 fixture of the 2026 World Cup.
The Atlas Lions delivered a dominant performance, sealing a 3-0 victory to advance to the quarter-finals — but their triumph came at a cost, with one of their key players forced off early.
Ismael Saibari, who recently joined Bayern Munich, was substituted in the 20th minute after picking up a muscle injury. The midfielder’s exit raised concerns for Morocco’s campaign moving forward. Soufiane Rahimi came on as his replacement.
Morocco, who could become a potential opponent for France later in the tournament, will now have to continue their impressive run possibly without their attacking star if his recovery takes longer than expected.
The injury to Saibari comes as a setback for the North African side, who have been among the standout performers at this year’s World Cup, combining solid defence with creative attacking play.
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