WAFCON Group A: Morocco and Zambia advance; Senegal await results

2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) hosts Morocco are through to the quarterfinals as Group A winners following Saturday evening’s 1-0 victory over Senegal in Rabat. The Atlas Lionesses are joined by Zambia after the Copper Queens also won 1-0 in Mohammedia against DR Congo.

Senegal, in need of a positive result to boost their chances of advancing to the knockout stages, failed to provide much of a threat to the Moroccan defense. Yasmine Mrabet’s penalty kick at the end of the first half was all the hosts needed to get the result they desired and emerge as Group A winners.

Meanwhile, in the other Group A match played simultaneously, Racheal Kundananji’s strike from a set piece was enough for the Copper Queens of Zambia to advance with a 1-0 win over neighbors DR Congo but they will feel there was an opportunity missed.

Considering DR Congo’s struggles in the group, Zambia will feel that they could have perhaps secured a more lopsided victory to overtake Morocco and win the group via the goal difference tiebreaker.

Morocco will face one of the third place finishers from either Group B or Group C in the quarterfinals on July 17 in Rabat. Zambia will face the winners of Group B on July 17 in Casablanca, which means that they are likely to face tournament favorites Nigeria in what promises to be the most fiercely contested match of the quarterfinals.

Senegal will await the results of the other two groups to see if they will join Morocco and Zambia in the quarterfinals as one of the two best third place teams.

Final Group C Table

Third Place Teams Table