On July 31, 2026, Morocco's women's football team significantly enhanced its chances of advancing to the quarter-finals of the Africa Women's Cup of Nations, held in Morocco, by securing a narrow victory against Algeria with a score of 1-0. The match took place on Thursday evening at the Moulay Hassan Stadium in Rabat, marking the second round of the group stage.
The decisive goal came courtesy of forward Sanae Masoudi, who found the back of the net in the 84th minute, sealing the win for the Moroccan side. From the outset, the match unfolded with a cautious tempo, given the critical implications for qualification. However, the Atlas Lionesses soon took control, striving to establish their style of play by organizing attacks and expanding their gameplay across the wings while searching for gaps in the Algerian defense.
Morocco’s players aimed to pressure Algerian goalkeeper Khloé Naghazi, utilizing crosses from the flanks, particularly through Sakina Ouzraoui on the right and Sanae Masoudi on the left. The midfield trio, comprising Yasmine Al-Mourabit, Kawthar Azraf, and Elodie Naqash, played a pivotal role in facilitating ball progression and quickly regaining possession after losing the ball.
The first significant scoring opportunity arose in the 17th minute from a set-piece executed by Kawthar Azraf inside the penalty area. Nahila Benzina rose to meet the ball with a header that narrowly missed the Algerian goal. Morocco maintained its dominance throughout the match, bolstered by the fervent support of the Moroccan fans who filled the stands of Moulay Hassan Stadium. It wasn’t until the 37th minute that Algeria posed a threat to the Moroccan goal for the first time, with a shot from outside the box that posed no real danger to goalkeeper Khadija Ramichi. The first half concluded in a stalemate, with neither team able to break the deadlock.
In the second half, the players under coach Jorge Vilda continued to assert their superiority, persistently looking to open the scoring through set-pieces and organized attacks both from the flanks and through the center. The national coach made a substitution in the 70th minute, introducing Ghizlane Chabaka for Ibtissam Jraidi. Just five minutes later, Chabaka delivered a cross that Sakina Ouzraoui headed, but it was expertly saved by the Algerian goalkeeper.
Finally, in the 84th minute, Sanae Masoudi successfully netted the winning goal following a precise cross from Hanan Ait Hajj. In the closing moments, the Moroccan team maintained tactical discipline and defensive balance while continuing to apply pressure in search of a second goal. The match ended with the Atlas Lionesses celebrated a well-deserved 1-0 victory.
This victory elevated Morocco’s points tally to six, solidifying their position at the top of Group A after they had previously triumphed over Kenya with a score of 4-0. Meanwhile, Algeria remained stagnant with three points. Morocco is set to conclude its group stage matches against Senegal on August 3, 2026, at the Moulay Hassan Stadium, while Algeria will face Kenya at the Olympic Stadium in the third and final round.
As reported by maroc.ma.
