Morocco Edges Closer to 2026 World Cup Qualification With Dominant Win Over Tanzania

Rabat, Morocco – The Moroccan national football team took a significant step toward 2026 World Cup qualification with a commanding 2-0 victory over Tanzania in their Group E qualifier on Tuesday, June 25.

Atlas Lions Showcase Offensive Prowess

Coming off a less convincing performance against Niger, Morocco delivered a brilliant offensive display that overwhelmed their East African opponents from the opening whistle. The victory extends Morocco’s unbeaten streak to 12 matches, with nine consecutive wins in all competitions.

First Half Dominance

From kickoff, Morocco established control with Real Madrid’s Brahim Diaz and Abdessamad Ezzalzouli creating early chances. The Atlas Lions maintained over 80% possession in the first 30 minutes, though they initially struggled to convert their dominance into clear scoring opportunities.

Tanzania nearly stole the lead against the run of play just before halftime when a dangerous shot narrowly missed Yassine Bounou’s post.

Second Half Breakthrough

The deadlock was finally broken in the 51st minute when West Ham defender Nayef Aguerd capitalized on a rebound after Yahia Attiyat Allah’s header was saved. Aguerd, one of Morocco’s standout performers in this qualifying campaign, calmly slotted home the opener.

Morocco doubled their lead just eight minutes later when Brahim Diaz converted a penalty after a Tanzanian handball in the box. The spot-kick marked Diaz’s first international goal for Morocco since switching allegiance from Spain.

Closing Stages

Despite the comfortable lead, Morocco continued pushing for more goals. PSV Eindhoven’s Ismael Saibari saw a clever chip ruled out for offside in the 63rd minute before being substituted for Monaco’s Eliesse Ben Seghir.

Tanzania’s best chances came late in the match, with Bounou making a crucial save in the 75th minute and Aguerd nearly gifting the visitors a goal with a dangerous turnover that was ultimately wasted.

Qualification Outlook

With this victory, Morocco maintains their perfect record in Group E of the CAF World Cup qualifiers. The 2022 World Cup semifinalists now sit comfortably atop their qualifying group as they aim for a third consecutive World Cup appearance.

The Atlas Lions’ next qualifying matches will come in March 2025 as they continue their quest to return to world football’s biggest stage.