Starlets knocked out as Morocco, Algeria advance to WAFCON quarters

Kenya in action vs Algeria in the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON)

Hosts Morocco topped Group A at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) despite failing to score from a twice-taken penalty in a 0-0 draw with Senegal on Monday.

Morocco advanced to the quarter-finals by finishing with seven points after beating Kenya convincingly and Algeria narrowly in earlier mini-league matches in Rabat.

Goals from Marine Dafeur and Lynda Bendris earned Algeria a 2-0 victory over Kenya in a match played simultaneously, and they booked a last-eight place by coming second with six points.

Senegal ended with four points and Kenya with none so both were eliminated from the two-yearly African women’s football showpiece.

Morocco will face the Group B runners-up and Algeria the Group B winners in the quarter-finals. They were due to discover their opponents last night after the final matches in that mini-league.

Ivory Coast lead Group B with four points, Burkina Faso and Tanzania have three each and South Africa one, leaving all four nations with a chance to progress.

Morocco beat Senegal 1-0 in both the 2022 and 2024 Wafcon tournaments, with the goal coming from a penalty on each occasion.

The Atlas Lionesses had a chance to repeat those feats when awarded a spot-kick midway through the second half after Marieme Babou fouled Sakina Ouzraoui.

Teenager Adji Ndiaye saved the first attempt from Yasmin Mrabet, but came off her line too early and the Ugandan referee ordered a retake.

Mrabet once again struck the ball to the left of the goalkeeper, and once again her effort was spectacularly parried to safety.

Senegal had come closest to scoring in open play when Ndeye Diakhate rattled the crossbar with a volley as half-time approached.

Algeria quickly took control against Kenya and were two goals ahead midway through the first half at another Rabat stadium.

Dafeur claimed her second goal of the Wafcon by rifling a free-kick into the net from well outside the area on 14 minutes.

Bendris dispossessed a Kenyan defender, then lobbed the ball over goalkeeper Lilian Awuor to increase the lead nine minutes later.

Apart from chasing a record two-million-dollar Wafcon first prize, the semi-finalists qualify for the 2027 World Cup in Brazil.