Real Madrid forward Brahim Díaz continued his impressive form at the Africa Cup of Nations by scoring the decisive goal as Morocco edged Tanzania 1–0 to reach the quarter-finals in Rabat on Sunday.
Díaz maintained his goal-per-game record at the tournament, finding the net after sustained Moroccan pressure in a last-16 clash played at the Prince Moulay Abdallah Stadium. The victory extended Morocco’s unbeaten run in competitive and friendly matches to 23 games, with their last defeat coming against South Africa at the 2024 AFCON.
Morocco will now face either South Africa or Cameroon in the quarter-finals on Friday, with the two sides scheduled to meet later on Sunday in Rabat.
Paris Saint-Germain defender Achraf Hakimi provided the assist for the winning goal, marking his first start of the tournament after previously featuring as a substitute in the group-stage win over Zambia. Hakimi, the 2025 African Player of the Year, recently returned from a serious ankle injury sustained while playing for PSG in the UEFA Champions League.
Despite being clear favourites—buoyed by home advantage, the support of nearly 70,000 fans, and a 101-place gap over Tanzania in the FIFA rankings—Morocco were made to work hard for the breakthrough.
Tanzania threatened early, with Saimon Msuva misconnecting from close range in the third minute. Morocco thought they had taken the lead after 15 minutes when Ismael Saibari headed home from an Abdessamad Ezzalzouli free-kick, but the effort was ruled out for offside following a VAR review.
Ayoub El Kaabi and Díaz both went close before half-time as the hosts dominated possession, while Tanzania goalkeeper Hussein Masaranga was forced into several interventions. The first half ended goalless despite Morocco’s growing control.
The second period began at a brisk pace, with Morocco continuing to press. Hakimi struck the crossbar with a fierce free-kick on the hour mark, underlining the hosts’ dominance. Tanzania also had a rare opportunity when Feisal ‘Fei Toto’ Salum fired over with only goalkeeper Yassine Bounou to beat.
Relentless pressure eventually told, as Hakimi and Díaz combined to produce the match-winning moment, sending the home crowd into celebration and confirming Morocco’s place in the last eight.
