WAFCON 2026: Morocco Beat Algeria 1-0 to Strengthen Hold on Group A Summit

Hosts Morocco strengthened their grip on top spot in Group A of the 2026 Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) after securing a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Algeria in a fiercely contested North African derby on Thursday.

The Atlas Lionesses knew a win would put them in a commanding position in the group standings, but they were made to work hard by a disciplined Algerian side that frustrated them for much of the contest.

Both teams struggled to create clear-cut chances during the opening 45 minutes, with the game remaining goalless at the break despite several promising attacking moves from either side.

As the match looked to be heading for a draw, Morocco finally found the breakthrough in the 84th minute. Sanaa Mssoudy emerged as the match winner, scoring the decisive goal to spark celebrations among the home supporters and hand the Atlas Lionesses all three points.

The narrow victory sees Morocco finish top of Group A with six points from two matches, strengthening their position ahead of the knockout stages.

For Algeria, the defeat leaves them on three points, level with Senegal, who earlier defeated Kenya 1-0 to keep their own qualification hopes alive.