Hosts Morocco reached the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) quarter-finals by seeing off a stubborn Tanzania side in Rabat on Sunday, January 4th, 2026.
Captain Achraf Hakimi returning from an injury set up Brahim Diaz’s winner for the hosts to qualify for the quarter finals.
Starting his first match for more than two months following an ankle injury, Paris St-Germain right-back Hakimi fed Diaz to fire past Hussein Masalanga at the goalkeeper’s near post midway through the second half, sending the Atlas Lions through to a last-eight meeting with Cameroon.
The Real Madrid playmaker became the first Morocco player to score in four successive matches at the Afcon finals, having been the top scorer in qualifying with seven goals.
Morocco, who are looking to secure a first continental title since 1976, will face five-time champions Cameroon in the quarter-finals on Friday after the Indomitable Lions beat South Africa 2-1 in Sunday’s late game.
Miguel Ángel Gamondi – Tanzania head coach: “I am so proud of what my team produced. So proud of my players, both in their attitude and tactically. They showed that the gap between Morocco and us is not as big as people think. We will come back stronger, I am convinced of that.”
Walid Regragui – Morocco head coach: “We knew it was not going to be easy, judging by the matches we saw yesterday, even if we thought it might be more straightforward. The first half was not good, but I recognised my team much more in the second half. The most important thing is qualification. As for Azzedine Ounahi, he picked up an injury in training and is out of the Africa Cup of Nations. We are losing an exceptional player and a leader in our dressing room, but we will continue to fight for him.”
