Morocco’s match-winner Brahim Diaz and head coach Walid Regragui admitted it was a tough test after the Atlas Lions edged Tanzania 1–0 to seal a place in the quarter-finals of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations 2025 in Rabat.
Diaz, who struck the decisive goal just after the hour mark, described the contest as Morocco’s most demanding outing so far, praising Tanzania’s organisation and resilience. His fourth goal of the tournament ultimately separated the sides, keeping Morocco’s title push on track.
“The competition is growing in intensity and we have just faced our toughest opposition so far against this Tanzanian team. Not everything worked, we know that, but fortunately we managed to secure our qualification. Now we will go back to work to be fully ready for the quarter-finals.”
Regragui echoed his player’s sentiments, acknowledging that his team struggled in the first half against a disciplined Tanzanian defence before improving after the break. He stressed that qualification was the priority, even if the performance was not flawless.
“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.”
On the pitch, Morocco dominated possession but found clear chances hard to create as Tanzania sat deep and closed spaces effectively. An Ismail Saibari goal was ruled out for offside in the first half following a VAR review, compounding the hosts’ frustration.
Tanzania nearly shocked the home crowd when Feisal Toto missed a golden opportunity midway through the second half, but moments later Diaz produced a moment of quality, cutting inside and finishing from a tight angle to decide the contest.
Despite late pressure, Morocco could not add to their lead, while Tanzania remained competitive until the final whistle. The hosts held firm to progress and will now face the winner of South Africa versus Cameroon in the quarter-finals, with Regragui’s side determined to raise their level as the tournament intensifies.
Tanzania coach Miguel Ángel Gamondi was impressed with character of his players despite not progressing to the next round.
“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.”
