Morocco Secures Spot in Women's Africa Cup of Nations Semi-Finals
The Moroccan national team, hosting the tournament, has secured its place in the semi-finals of the Total Energies Women's Africa Cup of Nations - Morocco 2026. This achievement came after a compelling victory on Friday over the previous title holders, South Africa, with a score of 2-1 at the Moulay Hassan Stadium in Rabat.
By reaching the semi-finals of this prestigious African tournament, the Moroccan women's team has officially qualified for the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup, which is set to take place in Brazil from June 24 to July 25, 2027.
Morocco started the match with an aggressive approach, coming close to scoring in the 20th minute when Sanae Masoudi's header sailed just over the crossbar. South Africa immediately responded through Thembi Kgatlana, whose first attempt on goal occurred a minute later, also landing above the bar as both teams vied for control of the game.
The first goal for Morocco came in the 31st minute, when Sakina Ozraoui delivered a swift and brilliant finish, marking her second goal of the tournament. She was quick to react inside the penalty area, directing the ball beyond goalkeeper Kaylin Swart's reach, giving the home side a well-deserved lead before halftime.
Morocco doubled its lead just six minutes into the second half when Hanane Ait Haj converted a penalty successfully, awarded after a foul was committed by the South African team inside the box. Trailing by two goals, South Africa intensified its offensive pressure, resulting in a goal in the 67th minute by Thembi Kgatlana.
South Africa continued to press forward in search of an equalizer; however, the Moroccan defense maintained organization and discipline, limiting significant threats and scoring opportunities despite the mounting pressure.
The technical committee of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) named Moroccan player Nahila Benzina as the best player of the match, recognizing her outstanding performance throughout the game and her crucial contribution to Morocco's victory.
In the semi-finals, Morocco will face the winner of the quarter-final match between Cameroon and Nigeria, which is set to take place on Sunday at the Al-Arabi Stadium in Casablanca. The semi-final match will be held next Wednesday at the Moulay Hassan Stadium in Rabat.
As reported by elaph.com.
