Morocco secured a place in the quarter-finals of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations after a slim 1–0 victory over Tanzania in Rabat on Sunday.
Brahim Diaz scored the only goal of the Round of 16 encounter in the second half as the Atlas Lions dominated possession but struggled to break down a well-organised Tanzanian defence.
Morocco, captained by Achraf Hakimi, controlled the game from the opening minutes, pinning Tanzania deep in their half and circulating the ball with confidence.
Despite their dominance, clear chances were hard to come by as Tanzania defended compactly and denied the hosts space in dangerous areas.
The home side thought they had taken the lead in the 24th minute when Ismail Saibari turned the ball in from close range, but the effort was ruled out for offside after a VAR check, leaving the score level at half-time.
The breakthrough finally came in the 63rd minute when Diaz cut inside the box and fired home from a tight angle, sending the home fans into celebration.
The goal was Diaz’s fourth of the tournament, taking him clear at the top of the scorers’ chart and underlining his importance to Morocco’s campaign.
Morocco continued to push for a second goal, but Tanzania stayed in the contest until the final whistle, even though they were unable to create a clear opportunity to equalise.
The Atlas Lions will now face the winner of the Round of 16 tie between South Africa and Cameroon in the quarter-finals at the Stade Al Madina in Rabat.
