Kenya fall down 4-0 to Morocco in WAFCON opener

Kenya's Harambee Starlets warmup ahead of the clash with Morocco on July 26, 2026. [Courtesy]

Kenya's 2026 Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) campaign got off to a disappointing start after suffering a heavy 4-0 defeat to hosts Morocco in their Group A opening match on Sunday.

Backed by a passionate home crowd, Morocco dominated proceedings from start to finish, showcasing their attacking quality and superior ball possession to hand the Harambee Starlets a humbling defeat.

The hosts opened the scoring in the 20th minute through Ouzraoui before Atiq doubled the advantage eight minutes later with a well-taken finish.

Morocco continued to pile pressure on the Kenyan defense, and Jraidi made it 3-0 in the 32nd minute to put the contest beyond reach before halftime.

Just a minute after the restart, Jraidi completed her brace with a 46th-minute strike, sealing an emphatic victory for the North Africans and ensuring they began their WAFCON campaign on a high note.

Morocco controlled possession throughout the encounter, enjoying 65.9 percent of the ball compared to Kenya's 34.1 percent. Their dominance was also reflected in attack, registering 17 goal attempts, with 10 shots on target, while Kenya managed only two attempts on goal.

Despite the scoreline, Harambee Starlets goalkeeper Lilian Awuor prevented an even heavier defeat with six crucial saves, compared to just three made by Morocco goalkeeper Er-Rmichi.

Morocco also edged Kenya in other key statistics, winning four corner kicks against Kenya's two and committing nine fouls, while the Starlets were whistled 14 times.

Kenya struggled to create meaningful attacking opportunities as the Moroccan defense comfortably contained the visitors throughout the match.

The convincing victory gives Morocco an early advantage in Group A as they continue their quest for continental glory on home soil. For Kenya, the defeat leaves the Harambee Starlets with work to do in their remaining group-stage matches if they are to keep their hopes of progressing to the knockout rounds alive.