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Marrakech – Morocco’s women’s national team delivered a commanding performance against Mali on Friday, securing a decisive 3-1 victory in the quarterfinals of the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.
The Atlas Lionesses thrilled the home crowd at Rabat’s Olympic Stadium with an impressive display that keeps their championship dreams alive.
Ibtissam Jraidi led the charge with a spectacular brace, opening the scoring early in the 7th minute to give Morocco a 1-0 lead they would maintain until halftime.
The striker demonstrated her clinical finishing again by converting a penalty in the 79th minute to double the advantage. Kenza Chapelle added a third goal in the 89th minute to extend the lead.
Jorge Vilda’s squad showed tactical discipline throughout the match. The Spanish coach had stressed the team’s readiness before kickoff, noting how his players consistently showed their determination during their two-month preparation period. “Every morning, my players make me feel ready to fight,” Vilda had stated prior to the match.
The Atlas Lionesses made strategic substitutions that proved effective. Élodie Nakkach and Sanaâ Mssoudy entered at halftime, replacing Nagueye Badri and Yasmin Mrabet respectively.
Imane Saoud later replaced Fatima Tagnaout in the 70th minute, helping maintain Morocco’s attacking momentum. Chapelle herself was a substitute, coming on for Jraidi in the 84th minute before making an immediate impact.
Mali salvaged some pride when Aissata Traoré converted a penalty in the 97th minute, making the final score 3-1. Despite this late consolation, the Eagles had struggled throughout most of the match, failing to recover their form after suffering a heavy 4-0 defeat to South Africa in their previous game.
Coach Mohamed Houssein Saloum’s pre-match promise of a transformed performance materialized only in the dying moments.
Malian striker Traoré had vowed before the match that her team would show a different image, stating “if we have to leave our bodies, even our souls, on the pitch, we’ll do it.” Her late penalty goal provided a small measure of fulfillment to that promise, but came too late to alter the outcome.
The home crowd provided vital support for the Moroccan side, creating an electric atmosphere that has become a hallmark of their matches in this tournament.
Morocco now advances to the semifinals where they will face the winner of the Algeria-Ghana quarterfinal match. The host nation continues its quest for a first WAFCON title after falling short in the final two years ago against South Africa.
Elsewhere in the tournament, Nigeria stamped their authority on the competition with an emphatic 5-0 demolition of Zambia in their quarterfinal clash. The remaining semifinal berths will be determined when defending champions South Africa take on Senegal in what promises to be an electrifying conclusion to the quarterfinal stage.
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