Rabat – Morocco’s U-17 women’s national football team suffered a disappointing 5-1 defeat against Argentina on Friday, October 23, in Rabat, losing their chance to qualify directly for the Round of 16 of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup 2026.
The result leaves the Atlas Lionesses hoping to advance as one of the best third-placed teams, with their fate now depending on the results of other groups.
Both teams entered the decisive Group A encounter with a chance of securing qualification. Morocco had a slight advantage on goal difference before kickoff and hoped to benefit from home support to secure a place in the knockout stage.
However, Argentina quickly took control of the match, leaving the Moroccan players struggling to respond to their opponents’ attacking pressure.
Mercedes Diez opened the scoring for Argentina in the 14th minute before doubling her team’s lead in the 29th minute.
Josefina Galarza added a third goal in the 35th minute, while Diez completed her hat-trick in first-half stoppage time, giving Argentina a comfortable 4-0 lead at the break.
Despite the difficult first half, Morocco returned to the pitch determined to reduce the deficit.
Moroccan youngster Nesma Mouradi gave the home supporters something to celebrate when she scored in the 58th minute, bringing the score to 4-1.
However, Argentina maintained their advantage and added a fifth goal through Julieta Aguilar in the 73rd minute, ending Morocco’s hopes of a comeback.
Morocco’s World Cup journey
The Atlas Lionesses began their World Cup campaign with an impressive 4-0 victory over New Zealand, raising expectations of a successful tournament on home soil.
However, their second group-stage match proved more difficult, with Germany securing a 4-2 victory over the Moroccan side.
Friday’s defeat against Argentina marked Morocco’s second consecutive loss in the competition, leaving the team with three points from three matches.
Argentina, meanwhile, recovered from an opening 2-1 defeat against Germany to record consecutive victories over New Zealand and Morocco, securing their place in the knockout stage.
Can Morocco still reach the round of 16?
Despite the heavy defeat, Morocco’s World Cup campaign may not be over.
The Atlas Lionesses can no longer qualify directly from Group A, but they still have a chance to reach the Round of 16 through the ranking of the best third-placed teams.
With three points, Morocco must wait for the remaining group-stage matches to determine whether their record is enough to secure qualification.
Goal difference could prove particularly important following the defeats against Germany and Argentina.
For now, the Moroccan players and their supporters face an anxious wait, hoping that results elsewhere will allow the Atlas Lionesses to continue their World Cup journey on home soil.
