"We are very happy. It's a World Cup match and these are difficult games with teams playing for their lives. We reacted very well in the second half in the second balls and the duels," said Morocco coach Mohamed Ouahbi.

"I have to recognise that Canada were impressive - they played a top match. It was no surprise for us but in the second half we were able to profit from the space they left us - that was the key," he said.

With the win, Morocco became the first African side to reach the World Cup quarter-finals twice.

Canada were the more aggressive side in the first half, applying constant pressure on Morocco, forcing uncharacteristic mistakes and attacking with speed whenever they won the ball.

Les Rouges had the first chance of the game in the fifth minute when the ball dropped for Jonathan David, but his shot from a narrow angle was charged down by Yassine Bounou.

The co-hosts kept up the pressure and, in the 10th minute, Tani Oluwaseyi created a great opening after beating his defender, only to see Bounou save his fierce strike.

The North African side suffered an early setback when its leading scorer, Ismael Saibari, was forced off through injury and replaced by Rahimi.

The Atlas Lions had to wait until the 28th minute for their first shot on target, a low drive from distance by Rahimi that Maxime Crepeau saved comfortably.

In contrast, Canada had registered four shots on target by the end of a dominant first half.

However, Morocco turned the game on its head at the start of the second half. Achraf Hakimi took a low free-kick from the right and found the completely unmarked Ounahi.

The midfielder finished clinically with his first touch, finding the bottom-right corner in the 50th minute to break the deadlock.

In the 78th minute, Canada had a golden opportunity to level the score with a free-kick in a central position, just 17 metres from goal. David stepped up and tried to chip the ball over the wall, but his effort sailed just over the bar.

Morocco extended their lead in the 82nd minute. Ounahi fired Brahim Diaz's cross into the roof of the net to make it 2-0 as Morocco caught Canada on a swift counterattack.

The Atlas Lions added a third in the final minute of stoppage time. Cutting through Canada once more on the counterattack, Diaz played in Rahimi, who slotted the ball past Crepeau with the final kick of the game to make it 3-0.

Canada coach Jesse Marsch said Morocco's opening goal shifted the momentum and forced his side to take more risks.

"The goal changed the game a little bit," he said. "We had to push a little bit more, the game then opened up and then we were a little bit more susceptible on the counter a few times."

Marsch said during the water break he told his players to remain patient and avoid conceding a second goal.

"I said, stay disciplined, stay focused, we'll get our chances - just not giving away the second one," he said.

"Almost immediately we gave a ball away that led to a big counter and then it cost us. Even the second goal, it's a bad giveaway that we don't have to concede. We could have just stayed in the game and continued pushing."

-- BERNAMA-XINHUA