Morocco's Lionesses Miss Out on Bronze at Women's AFCON 2026
The highly anticipated third-place match of the Women's Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2026 unfolded on Saturday, August 15, at the Olympic Stadium in Rabat, where Morocco faced off against Algeria. The Moroccan team, known as the Lionesses of the Atlas, started strong, taking the lead early in the game. However, they were ultimately held to a 1-1 draw by Algeria and succumbed in the penalty shootout, finalizing the score at 3-2 in favor of Algeria. Consequently, the Algerian team secured the bronze medal, while Morocco finished the tournament in fourth place.
After being eliminated in the semifinals by Cameroon during a tense penalty shootout, the Moroccan players, led by captain Ghizlane Chebbak, aimed to conclude the tournament positively. Their confidence soared when they opened the scoring but was soon dashed when Algeria equalized, leading to the dramatic penalty shootout that decided the match.
In preparation for this crucial encounter, coach Jorge Vilda made several strategic changes to the starting lineup. Notably, Kautar Azraf was deployed in the number 10 position, while Fatima Tagnaout took the field in place of Sanaa Mssoudy, who was serving a suspension due to accumulated yellow cards.
During the first half, the Lionesses struggled to create significant scoring opportunities. It wasn't until the 37th minute that Kautar Azraf broke the deadlock with a remarkable individual effort, skillfully placing the ball into the net with her left foot. Morocco appeared to be in control of the match, but the tide turned in the second half when Maryem Atiq believed she had doubled the lead. Unfortunately for the Moroccan side, a review by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) led to the disallowance of her goal by Kenyan referee Josephine Wanjiku.
Despite their attempts to extend their lead, the Moroccan team found themselves on the back foot as Algeria made a comeback. In a dramatic turn of events, Lina Boussaha equalized for Algeria in the 83rd minute, capitalizing on a one-on-one situation with Moroccan goalkeeper Khadija Er-Rmichi.
With the match heading toward a tense conclusion, Morocco had a golden opportunity to reclaim the lead when Nouhaila Benzina was awarded a penalty. However, her failure to convert the penalty left both teams tied at full time, leading to the heart-stopping penalty shootout.
Ultimately, Algeria triumphed in the shootout, clinching the third-place title in the Women's AFCON and securing the bronze medal. For Morocco, finishing in fourth place was undoubtedly a disappointing outcome, considering their aspirations to earn a podium finish on home soil.
As reported by sport.le360.ma.
