The Atlas Lions completed their second training session on Thursday, July 2, at Houston Dynamo & Dash Stadium in Texas, with one clear objective: to be fully prepared for their 2026 FIFA World Cup round-of-16 clash against Canada.
With two days remaining before the knockout encounter, Mohamed Ouahbi’s men went through a series of drills in a focused and disciplined atmosphere marked by intensity, commitment, and concentration. The coaching staff continued to fine-tune the team’s preparations ahead of the meeting with one of the tournament’s host nations.
The only concern from the session was Chadi Riad, who picked up an injury against the Netherlands and did not train with the rest of the squad. The central defender, an undisputed starter since the beginning of the tournament and a key figure in Mohamed Ouahbi’s setup, instead followed an individual training program. No official update has been provided on his condition, which remains uncertain for now.
Since the start of the World Cup, the Atlas Lions have benefited from individualized daily medical monitoring, along with recovery and physical preparation programs specifically designed to cope with the high temperatures accompanying this North American edition of the tournament.
Morocco will face Canada on Saturday, July 4, at 6 p.m. (Moroccan time) at NRG Stadium in Houston, with a place in the quarterfinals at stake. Should they advance, the Atlas Lions will meet the winner of the France-Paraguay clash.
To reach this stage of the competition, Achraf Hakimi’s teammates had to battle until the very end against the Netherlands. Trailing late in the match, they equalized before winning the penalty shootout 3-2 after a 1-1 draw following regulation and extra time. During the group stage, Mohamed Ouahbi’s side first held Brazil to a 1-1 draw before defeating Scotland 1-0 and Haiti 4-2.
Canada, meanwhile, booked its place in the round of 16 with a 1-0 victory over South Africa. During the group stage, Jesse Marsch’s side drew 1-1 with Bosnia and Herzegovina, comfortably defeated Qatar 6-0, before losing 2-1 to Switzerland.
Issa Diop and Chadi Riad during an individual recovery session on stationary bikes.
