Latest news with #AtlasLionesses'
Morocco World
a day ago
- Sport
- Morocco World
Vilda on Nigeria vs Morocco Final: Canceled Penalty ‘Took Wind Out of Our Sails'
Rabat — Head coach for Morocco's women's football team Jorge Vilda has acknowledged how the unexplained referee decision to cancel a legitimate penalty shoot for the Atlas Lionesses caused a major blow for his squad in the final of the Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) on Saturday. Last night, the Moroccan squad was on the brink of winning the final match against Nigeria. But instead, the Atlas Lionesses were deprived of a penalty that the referee and the VAR room both claimed illegitimate. Despite footage showing a Nigerian player clearing and handling the ball in the penalty box, this was deemed insufficient by both the referee and the VAR room to uphold the overturned penalty. At the time, the match was tied 2-2 in the second half after the Atlas Lionesses had dominated the first half with a 2-0 lead. For Vilda, the situation caused a real psychological blow to Morocco. 'It took the wind out of our sails,' he said. He added that despite the disappointment, the Atlas Lionesses proved they belong on the continental stage. He acknowledged that 'Morocco paid dearly for small details,' commenting that the first half was perfect. However, Morocco's women's team showed physical exhaustion during the second half, which is only normal due to cumulative fatigue from previous games. Nigeria's coach Justin Madugu echoed Vilda's praise for the Atlas Lionesses' strong start, saying his squad was 'surprised by Morocco's tactical and physical strength in the first half.' Yesterday, Nigeria took its 10th WAFCON trophy. While the Atlas Lionesses were unable to claim their first, they earned more respect and support from Moroccan fans, who acknowledged their strength and powerful skills throughout the tournament.
Ya Biladi
19-07-2025
- Sport
- Ya Biladi
Morocco beats Mali 3–1, advances to Women's Africa Cup semi-finals
The Moroccan women's football team has advanced to the semi-finals of the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) after defeating Mali 3–1 (1–0 at halftime) on Friday night at Rabat's Olympic Stadium. The Atlas Lionesses' goals came from Ibtissam Jraidi, who scored a brace (7', 79' pen.), and Kenza Chapelle (89'). Mali's Aissata Traoré netted a consolation goal in stoppage time (90'+7, pen.). In the semi-finals, Morocco will face the winner of Saturday's quarter-final match between Ghana and Algeria, set to take place in Berkane.
CAF
17-07-2025
- Sport
- CAF
WAFCON 2024 Golden Boot Race Heats Up: Chebbak and Ndiaye Neck-and-Neck After Group Stage
Published: Thursday, 17 July 2025 As the group stage of the CAF TotalEnergies Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) 2024 concludes, the race for the Golden Boot is intensifying. Morocco's Ghizlane Chebbak and Senegal's Nguenar Ndiaye lead the scoring chart with four goals apiece, setting the stage for a thrilling battle for top scorer honors as the tournament heads into the knockout rounds. Chebbak, the Atlas Lionesses' captain and Golden Boot winner in the 2022 edition, struck four times in just two games — including a hat-trick against the Democratic Republic of Congo (4-2) — reaffirming her status as a vital offensive leader for Morocco. Matching her stride for stride is Ndiaye, whose clinical consistency has been key for Senegal. The striker bagged braces in both the 3-2 loss to Zambia and the emphatic 4-0 victory over DR Congo, showing a sharp eye for goal in high-stakes encounters. Close on their heels are Zambia's dynamic duo — Barbra Banda and Racheal Kundananji — who have tallied three goals each. Banda kicked off her campaign with the tournament's fastest goal, scoring just 58 seconds into the opener against Morocco. She added another in the 3-2 win over Senegal. Kundananji, meanwhile, has found the net in every group match, proving to be a constant threat in the box. The Zambian pair have spearheaded the Copper Queens' attack with explosive pace and relentless pressure, positioning themselves as serious contenders should their team advance deeper into the tournament. Lurking just behind the leaders are a group of underrated sharpshooters: Senegal's Mama Diop, Nigeria's Chinwendu Ihezuo, Ghana's Alice Kusi, and Morocco's Yasmine Mrabet — each with two goals. Diop offers the instincts of a classic poacher, while Ihezuo has dazzled with her technical finesse. Kusi and Mrabet have quietly delivered key goals and could still shake up the leaderboard if their nations progress. With the unpredictability that defines WAFCON, the Golden Boot race promises more twists — and one big performance in the quarterfinals could change everything. Top Scorers After Group Stage: Ghizlane Chebbak (Morocco) – 4 goals Nguenar Ndiaye (Senegal) – 4 goals Barbra Banda (Zambia) – 3 goals Racheal Kundananji (Zambia) – 3 goals Mama Diop (Senegal) – 2 goals Chinwendu Ihezuo (Nigeria) – 2 goals Alice Kusi (Ghana) – 2 goals Yasmine Mrabet (Morocco) – 2 goals
Morocco World
05-04-2025
- Sport
- Morocco World
Morocco's Women's Football Team Defeats Tunisia 3-1 in Friendly Match
Rabat – Morocco's women's national football team secured a 3-1 victory against Tunisia in a friendly match held on Friday at the Père Jégo Stadium in Casablanca. Yasmine Lamrabet opened the scoring for Morocco in the 39th minute, followed by goals from Ibtissam Jraidi in the 50th minute and Iman El Ghazouani in the 55th minute. Tunisia's only goal came early in the second half, scored by Sabah Cheikh in the 48th minute. The friendly match against Tunisia is part of the Atlas Lionesses' preparations for the upcoming Africa Women's Cup of Nations (WAFCON), which Morocco will host this summer. The Moroccan team will continue its preparations with a second friendly match against Cameroon, scheduled for April 8. The team locked horns with Ghana last month in another friendly game, which ended with a 1-0 victory for Morocco. Following the game, Morocco's captain Ghizlane Chebbak said she is optimistic about her team's preparations for the continental event. However, she acknowledged that the match represented a challenge for the team. 'The Ghanaian team is strong, and we wanted to play against tough teams like this to test our real level. Today, thankfully, we managed to win, but it was difficult,' Chebbak said. But she said the team will keep working to improve their performance for upcoming games. The Atlas Lionesses have climbed one spot in the latest FIFA World Ranking to secure the 60th spot worldwide. The team is ranked third in Africa, behind Nigeria (36th globally) and South Africa (40th globally). Tags: FootballMoroccoTunisiaWAFCON
Morocco World
22-02-2025
- Sport
- Morocco World
Chebbak Confident as Morocco's Women's Team Gears Up for AFCON 2025
Rabat – Ghizlane Chebbak, the captain of the Moroccan women's national football team, is optimistic about the future of the Lionesses as they prepare for the upcoming Women's Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco. All players are determined to compete with great challenge and ambition to win the continental title for the first time, she said in a recent interview. Chabbak made the remarks to the press following the Atlas Lionesses' friendly game against Ghana on Friday. The game took place at the Père Jégo Stadium in Casablanca The friendly match, which saw Morocco beat the Ghanaian national team 1-0, was part of both teams' preparations for the 2025 WAFCON. 'The Ghanaian team is strong, and we wanted to play against tough teams like this to test our real level. Today, thankfully, we managed to win, but it was difficult,' Chebbak said. Ghana put the Moroccan team in a 'tough situation', the Atlas Lionesses' captain explained, vowing that this is something the team 'needs to work on later.' But the most important aspect of that game, Chebbak says, is that her team remained focused until the last minute and managed to score the winning goal. 'That is a good point for us. We will keep working to improve our performance in the next match against Haiti,' she added. The Moroccan women's national team players are determined to shine in the upcoming WAFCON, which will take place in Morocco from July 5 to July 26. The tournament's draw recently placed Morocco in Group A alongside Zambia, Senegal, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Moroccan team will be looking to build on their strong performance at the 2022 WAFCON, where the Atlas Lionesses reached the final for the first time ever. Despite their 2-1 loss to South Africa, it was a historic achievement for the team as they also secured their first-ever qualification for the Women's World Cup in 2023. Tags: Ghizlane ChebbakMorocco women teamWAFCON
