Canada - Morocco First Half Ends Scoreless

The first half excitement has concluded in the breathtaking round of 16 match between Canada and Morocco at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Both teams headed to the locker room tied at a 0-0 deadlock. While no goals were scored in the first 45 minutes, the tactical performances of both teams were strikingly reflected in the statistics.

Morocco largely controlled the ball during the first half. Reaching a 66% possession rate, the African representatives appeared to dominate the flow of the game but failed to breach the resilient Canadian defense. Morocco completed 257 passes with a remarkably high accuracy rate of 89%. Conversely, Canada, mostly absorbing the pressure in their own half, finished the first half with 34% possession and a 70% accuracy rate from 147 pass attempts.

Looking at offensive actions, Canada found more shooting opportunities despite having significantly less possession. The Canadian team took 3 shots in total, with 2 of them hitting the target. Morocco managed only 1 shot, which was also on target. The most significant detail showcasing the match's physical intensity was the number of fouls and cards. Canada committed 15 fouls while trying to halt their opponents and received 2 yellow cards. Morocco committed only 6 fouls but was shown 4 yellow cards by the referee. The live winning probabilities perfectly summarize the game's balance: the likelihood of extra time stands at 42%, while Morocco has a 35% chance and Canada has a 23% chance of winning in regular time.

Image: Sports Illustrated