Hosts Morocco booked their place in the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals with a hard-fought 1–0 victory over Tanzania in front of a passionate crowd at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium on Sunday.
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In a fixture filled with tension and tactical chess play, it was Morocco’s attacking quality that ultimately made the difference. The decisive breakthrough came just after the hour mark when captain Achraf Hakimi delivered a perfectly weighted pass into the box.
Brahim Díaz, the tournament’s in-form marksman, made no mistake — calmly side-footing home from close range to send the home support into raptures in the 64th minute.
For much of the first half, both sides felt each other out. Morocco controlled possession and probed patiently but struggled to find clear sights of goal, while Tanzania defended with discipline and looked dangerous on the counter. The Taifa Stars’ best moments came through quick transitions, with winger Simon Msuva testing the Moroccan full-backs and forcing alert saves from the home goalkeeper.
Despite dominating territory and creating several openings, Morocco were guilty of poor final-third execution. A headed chance narrowly missed the target early in the second half and one strike was ruled out for offside, adding to the hosts’ growing frustration.
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Tanzania pushed for an equaliser in the closing stages, with substitute Feisal Salum coming close from a curling effort that just skimmed wide. But Morocco’s defence stood firm, repelling the late attacks and preserving the slender lead.
The result keeps Morocco on course for a deep run in the tournament as they prepare for a tough quarter-final tie against Cameroon. For Tanzania, the narrow defeat brings an end to an admirable AFCON campaign — one that showcased tactical maturity and fighting spirit against top-tier opposition.
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