Morocco endured another penalty shootout disappointment at the Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) on Saturday, falling 3-2 to Algeria in the third-place playoff following a 1-1 draw in regulation time.
The host nation had earlier been ousted in the semi-finals by Cameroon after losing a shootout, making this their third straight WAFCON penalty shootout loss.
Match Summary
- Kautar Azraf gave Morocco the lead in the 37th minute.
- Lina Boussaha equalized for Algeria in the 83rd minute.
- No extra time was played before proceeding to penalties.
During the shootout, Morocco successfully converted their first two penalties but missed the subsequent three. Algeria, despite missing two of their four attempts, clinched third place when Ines Belloumou scored the decisive kick.
WAFCON Performance and World Cup Qualification
This tournament marked Morocco's third consecutive time hosting WAFCON, with the Atlas Lionesses finishing as runners-up in both 2022 and 2024. Although they fell short of a title again, reaching the semi-finals secured Morocco a spot at the upcoming 32-nation Women's World Cup in Brazil next year.
Joining Morocco in qualification are Cameroon, Malawi, and Algeria. South Africa and Ghana still have a chance to join the global tournament through inter-continental playoffs.
