Brahim Díaz’s clinical second-half strike proved the difference as Morocco overcame a spirited Tanzania side to advance to the AFCON quarterfinals.
Morocco secured their place in the Africa Cup of Nations quarterfinals on Sunday with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Tanzania in Rabat.
In a physical encounter at the Prince Moulay Abdallah Stadium, the tournament hosts struggled to break down a resilient Taifa Stars defense.
The breakthrough finally arrived in the 64th minute when Real Madrid playmaker Brahim Díaz continued his sensational scoring streak to keep Morocco’s 50-year title wait alive.
Despite a massive gap in FIFA rankings, Tanzania nearly orchestrated a historic upset.
The visitors squandered several golden opportunities, most notably a missed header from Simon Msuva and a second-half blast over the bar by Feisal Salum with the goal gaping.
Morocco, missing the creative spark of the injured Azzedine Ounahi, looked uncharacteristically sluggish but relied on the individual brilliance of Achraf Hakimi and Díaz to navigate the tense knockout clash.
The match ended on a bittersweet note for the Atlas Lions as Díaz was substituted late with an apparent injury.
Following his goal, the squad celebrated by holding up Ounahi’s number 8 jersey, signaling the emotional weight of their teammate’s absence.
While coach Walid Regragui will be concerned by the mounting injury list and a late Tanzanian penalty appeal, Morocco moves forward to a quarterfinal showdown in Rabat this Friday.