Morocco Edges Senegal to Top Group A at WAFCON, Six Teams Advance to Quarterfinals
Morocco secured a crucial 1-0 victory over Senegal in their Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) Group A clash in Rabat, ensuring their position at the top of the group and advancing to the quarterfinals. Yasmin Mrabet’s penalty just before halftime proved to be the decisive moment in a match that saw Morocco dominate but struggle to convert their chances.
The victory propelled Morocco to seven points in the group stage, equal with Zambia, while Senegal finished with three points and the Democratic Republic of Congo ended with none after a loss to Zambia. The top two teams from each group, along with the two best third-placed teams, progressed to the knockout stage, solidifying Morocco’s position as a strong contender in the tournament.
Despite controlling possession and creating several opportunities, Morocco faced a frustrating first half. Ghizlane Chebbak missed two golden chances to score, and Ibtissam Jraidi had a goal-line clearance deny her a shot at glory. Just as it seemed the teams would head into the break scoreless, Senegal’s 18-year-old goalkeeper Adji Ndiaye committed a foul that led to a penalty. After a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) review, Mrabet stepped up to convert the penalty, giving Morocco the lead.
In the second half, Morocco adopted a more conservative approach, focusing on preserving their advantage. Although they had a goal disallowed for offside and faced late penalty appeals from both sides, Morocco managed to hold on for the victory without much difficulty.
With this win, Morocco topped Group A, while Zambia also advanced with seven points. Meanwhile, Algeria and Nigeria progressed from Group B, and South Africa and Mali moved on from Group C.
