Rabat – Morocco defeated Senegal to reach the quarter-finals of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), currently taking place in Morocco.
Morocco strengthened its position with a well-deserved victory tonight against Senegal.
The Atlas Lionesses have been dominating the ball with ball possession and attempts, but were unable to score their first goal until through a penalty before the end of the first half of the game.
Yassmine Mrabet scored the first goal for the Atlas Lionesses in the 45th game. The penalty came after a violent incident in the box, where Aziza Rabbah was struck in the face by the Senegalese goalkeeper’s elbow. After a VAR review confirmed the foul, the referee ultimately decided to grant Morocco a penalty.
The Atlas Lionesses delivered a dominant and persistent performance, with Gghizlane Chebbak leading a determined squad that controlled much of the game. The Atlas Lionesses missed at least four clear chances to score.
Morocco ended their first phase of the competition with seven points.
Morocco’s campaign began dramatically, with the Atlas Lionesses trailing in the first half of their opening match against Zambia.
However, the Lionesses showed resilience and bounced back with two goals, ending the match in a 2-2 draw.
In their second matchday against DR Congo, Morocco won 4-2.
Morocco is hosting the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations for the second time in a row, with the 2024 edition running from 5 to 26 July. The Atlas Lionesses, runners-up in 2022 on home soil, return this year with eyes on the prize.
The development of women’s football in Morocco has been remarkable in recent years. King Mohammed VI has personally invested in the sport’s growth and aims to transform it from the grassroots up, in the hope of positioning the country as a leader across Africa.
Clubs such as AS FAR and FUS Rabat are at the forefront, with more teams launching women’s sections in response to growing demand.
This WAFCON stands to inspire a new generation of Moroccan girls to take football seriously.
Aymen Alami contributed to this report.
