Morocco top Group A at WAFCON as several teams advance to quarterfinals

Morocco secured a 1-0 victory over Senegal in their Women’s Africa Cup of Nations Group A clash in Rabat on Saturday and in doing so pushed a total of six teams through to the quarterfinals of the continental competition.

Yasmin Mrabet converted a penalty just before halftime to seal the victory that sees the Moroccans top their pool.

With the top two teams in each group going through to the quarterfinals, as well as the two best third-placed teams, much was decided on the result of this game.

Morocco and Zambia each have seven points on completion of the pool, while Senegal have three and DR Congo zero, after they lost to Zambia.

It means that any team already on four points is assured of a place in the next round, which also puts Algeria through with Nigeria in Group B, and both South Africa and Mali into the next round from Group C.

Morocco are unbeaten and through to the last eight 🇲🇦⏭️#HereForHer | #WAFCON2024 pic.twitter.com/SNUgtFXI8q

— SuperSport Football ⚽️ (@SSFootball) July 12, 2025

Morocco dominated the Senegalese but had a frustrating first half where they could not force the ball into the net, despite several promising situations.

Ghizlane Chebbak missed two great chances to add to her hat-trick in the last game against DR Congo, with Ibtissam Jraidi seeing an effort cleared off the line.

It looked as though the West Africans would hold out until halftime before a moment of madness from their 18-year-old goalkeeper Adji Ndiaye.

She collected the ball in the box, but as she did so, led with the elbow into the side of Jraidi’s head.

It took a Video Assistant Referee check before a penalty was awarded and Ndiaye was somewhat fortunate not receive a red card.

Morocco were not as adventurous in the second half as they looked to hold onto their advantage and did so reasonably comfortably.

Both teams had penalty shouts late on, while Morocco had a goal disallowed for offside.