Morocco 1-0 Tanzania: Brahim Díaz Sets Historic AFCON Record
- CAN 2025 Morocco News
Imane
- January 4, 2026
- 0
- 4 minutes read
Content
ToggleBrahim Díaz Fires Morocco Into Quarterfinals
AFCON 2025 | Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium | Jan 4, 2026
In front of a packed 70,000-capacity stadium in Rabat, tournament hosts Morocco continued their relentless march toward a continental title. Despite a massive gap in possession, the "Atlas Lions" were forced to be patient against a disciplined Tanzanian side.
| Metric | Morocco | Tanzania |
|---|---|---|
| Possession | 72% | 28% |
| Total Passes | 1,581 | --- |
| Yellow Cards | 1 (Saibari) | 5 (Abdalla, Salum, Samatta, Alphonce, Job) |
| Qualification | Quarterfinals | Eliminated |
15' Disallowed Goal
Morocco thought they had the lead early when Ismael Saibari headed home, but the goal was ruled out after a VAR check confirmed he was offside.
60' Woodwork Stress
Captain Achraf Hakimi, returning from an ankle injury to make his first start of the tournament, struck the crossbar with a powerful free-kick as Morocco increased the pressure.
64' GOAL! Historic Breakthrough
The resistance finally cracked when Hakimi slipped a pass through to Brahim Díaz. The Real Madrid man beat goalkeeper Hussein Masalanga at his near post with a clinical finish. With this goal, Díaz became the first Moroccan player ever to score in four consecutive AFCON matches.
Morocco faced significant selection challenges for this clash:
- Azzedine Ounah: Ruled out of the match due to a confirmed foot injury.
- Romain Saïss: Remained sidelined with a muscle injury.
- Ayoub El Kaabi: Replaced in the 76th minute by Youssef En-Nesyri as Morocco managed their attacking rotation.
Morocco will now face either South Africa or Cameroon in the quarterfinals, remaining at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium for their next fixture.