Africa Cup Of Nations | Sunday January 4 | R16
- Morocco 1-0 Tanzania
Brahim Díaz delivered when Morocco needed him most, guiding the hosts into the AFCON 2025 quarter finals with a hard fought 1–0 win over a stubborn Tanzania in Rabat.
It was a night that tested Morocco’s patience. They controlled the ball, set the tempo and played almost entirely in Tanzanian territory, yet found little space against a well-drilled opponent determined to protect its historic run.
Díaz saw an early header saved, Ayoub El Kaabi nodded wide, and Achraf Hakimi struck the crossbar as the frustration slowly built inside a packed Prince Moulay Abdellah Sports Complex.
The Atlas Lions thought they had broken through before the break when Ismail Saibari finished from close range, only for VAR to rule the goal out for offside, a moment that captured the struggle of a dominant but restrained first half.
After the restart, the pressure sharpened. Díaz forced a corner with a glancing header, Bilal El Khannouss shot narrowly over, and Morocco finally began to stretch Tanzania.
The visitors nearly stole the spotlight in the 56th minute when Feisal Toto found space in the box but blazed over.
The decisive moment came seven minutes later. Cutting in from the right, Díaz struck from a tight angle, beating the goalkeeper and igniting the home crowd.
It was his fourth goal of the tournament, another reminder of his growing influence and calm under pressure.
Morocco searched for a second but didn’t need it. Tanzania stayed competitive, but the hosts managed the closing stages with maturity, protecting their slim advantage to the final whistle.
The win sends Morocco into the last eight, where they will face the winner of South Africa versus Cameroon.
