Ibtissam Jraidi struck twice as hosts Morocco launched their Women’s Africa Cup of Nations 2026 campaign in emphatic fashion, sweeping aside Kenya 4-0 at the Moulay El Hassan Stadium in Rabat on Sunday.

Sakina Ouzraoui and Meriem Atiq were also on target for the Atlas Lionesses, who scored three times before half-time and added another immediately after the restart to underline their title ambitions.

The commanding victory sent Jorge Vilda’s side to the top of Group A on goal difference, ahead of Algeria, who earlier defeated Senegal 2-0.

For Kenya, returning to the continental finals after a decade-long absence, it was a difficult reintroduction to WAFCON against a Moroccan side seeking to go one better after finishing runners-up in the previous two editions.

Backed by their home supporters, Morocco took control from the outset, dominating possession and pressing Kenya aggressively whenever they lost the ball.

The Harambee Starlets initially kept their shape and frustrated the hosts, but their resistance was broken in the 20th minute when Ouzraoui found space and drove a low effort beyond the goalkeeper.

Eight minutes later, Morocco doubled their advantage.

Atiq rose highest to meet a corner and powered a header into the net as the pressure on Kenya intensified.

Jraidi then made it 3-0 before the interval, also finding the net with a header to leave the East Africans facing a daunting task.

The three-goal first-half burst effectively settled the contest and allowed Morocco to approach the second period firmly in control.

Kenya’s hopes of mounting a recovery disappeared within two minutes of the restart when Jraidi struck again to complete her brace and make it 4-0.

The double provided an impressive start to the tournament for the Moroccan forward and further demonstrated the attacking strength of a team chasing a maiden continental crown.

With the points virtually secured, Vilda made a series of substitutions, resting key players and giving others valuable tournament minutes.

Morocco remained in command, although the intensity dropped as Kenya concentrated on preventing further damage.

The result leaves Morocco and Algeria with three points apiece at the head of Group A, with the hosts occupying top spot courtesy of their superior goal difference.

Senegal are third and Kenya bottom after the opening round.

Morocco will next face Algeria in an early battle for control of the group, while Kenya meet Senegal with both sides seeking their first points.

The expanded 16-team WAFCON also provides a pathway to the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil. The four semi-finalists will qualify directly for the global tournament, while two quarter-finalists will advance to the inter-confederation play-offs.

Kenya coach Beldine Odemba admitted her team struggled in transition but insisted there was still time to recover.

“We didn’t have the desired control in the transition phases,” Odemba said. “We have two matches left against Senegal and Algeria; it’s up to us to correct our mistakes.”

Vilda was pleased with Morocco’s authoritative opening performance.

“It’s a good start,” the Morocco coach said. “When you start a tournament like this, it means you’ve had good preparation. I’m satisfied with what I saw from the team today.”

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Algeria made an impressive start to their Women’s Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2026 campaign, beating Senegal 2-0 in their opening Group A encounter in Rabat.

A first-half penalty from Marine Dafeur and a late strike by Mélissa Bethi secured maximum points for the North Africans, who combined defensive discipline with greater efficiency in front of goal.

Although Senegal enjoyed slightly more possession, Algeria carried the greater attacking threat, forcing five saves from the Senegalese goalkeeper while restricting their opponents to only two efforts on target.

The breakthrough came in the 13th minute when Algeria were awarded a penalty and Dafeur converted from the spot to give her side an early advantage.

Senegal attempted to respond and enjoyed spells of possession, but Algeria remained compact and organised, denying the West Africans clear openings.

Algeria took their slender advantage into the interval and emerged for the second half with renewed attacking purpose.

Both coaches turned to their benches as the contest progressed, with Senegal seeking greater penetration and Algeria introducing fresh legs to maintain their intensity.

With Senegal pushing for an equaliser, Algeria finally put the contest beyond their reach five minutes from time.

Lina Boussaha provided the opening and Bethi finished confidently to make it 2-0, effectively sealing the three points.

Senegal attempted a late response, but Algeria remained composed through the closing stages to complete the victory with a clean sheet.

The result gives Algeria an important early boost in Group A and sets up a potentially decisive encounter with hosts Morocco on Thursday.

Senegal, meanwhile, will attempt to revive their campaign when they face Kenya earlier the same day.

Senegal coach Mame Moussa Cissé blamed individual mistakes for his team’s defeat and immediately turned his attention to their next assignment.

“We gave our opponents too much space. We lost this match because of the individual errors we made,” Cissé said.

“We will analyse what worked, take the necessary lessons from this performance, and shift our focus to the next match. We now have to regroup and make sure we beat Kenya.”

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Host nation Morocco will begin another Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) campaign with high expectations as the Atlas Lionesses seek to end years of near misses and finally lift the continental title on home soil.

Morocco will make their fifth appearance at the finals and their third consecutive participation after also qualifying for the 2022 and 2024 editions. It is the first time the North Africans have reached three successive WAFCON tournaments, underlining the remarkable progress of the women’s game in the country.

The Atlas Lionesses have emerged as one of Africa’s leading forces in recent years, finishing runners-up at the last two tournaments. They narrowly lost 2-1 to South Africa in the 2022 final before suffering an even more painful defeat in 2024, surrendering a 2-0 lead to lose 3-2 to Nigeria in the championship match.

Morocco first appeared at the inaugural WAFCON in 1998 but failed to advance beyond the group stage in either that tournament or the 2000 edition. Since hosting the competition in 2022, however, they have transformed into genuine title contenders.

The country is hosting the tournament for the third consecutive time, with hopes that home advantage can finally propel the team to its maiden continental championship.

The Atlas Lionesses will once again be guided by Spanish coach Jorge Vilda, who famously led Spain to victory at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup before taking charge of the Moroccan side.

Despite their recent success, Morocco enter the tournament on a two-match winless run at the finals. After drawing 1-1 with Ghana in last year’s semi-final before progressing on penalties, they were beaten by Nigeria in the final.

Overall, Morocco have played 18 WAFCON matches, recording eight victories, four draws and six defeats. Their recent group-stage record, however, has been particularly impressive. They are unbeaten in their last six group matches, winning five and drawing one since their last group-stage defeat—a 3-0 loss to Ghana in 2000.

The hosts have also become one of the tournament’s most consistent attacking teams, scoring in each of their last 12 WAFCON matches. Only one of their 18 games at the finals has ended goalless, a 0-0 draw against DR Congo in 1998.

Defensively, Morocco continue to seek greater consistency. They have conceded in each of their last three tournament matches and have managed only one clean sheet in their last nine WAFCON fixtures, a 1-0 victory over Senegal during the 2024 group stage.

Morocco’s opening-match record at the finals stands at one win, one draw and two defeats. After heavy losses to Nigeria (8-0) in 1998 and Cameroon (4-1) in 2000, they defeated Burkina Faso 1-0 in the opening match of the 2022 tournament before drawing 2-2 with Zambia in 2024.

Their opening matches have rarely lacked entertainment, producing a combined 18 goals across four games—an average of 4.5 goals per match.

One of Morocco’s greatest strengths has been from the penalty spot. Across the last two editions, they have converted all six penalties awarded during matches, and including shoot-outs, they have successfully scored each of their last 15 spot-kicks in the competition.

Captain Ghizlane Chebbak remains the team’s inspirational figure and the country’s greatest WAFCON goalscorer. She has netted eight goals at the finals—three in 2022 and five in 2024—to become Morocco’s all-time leading scorer in the tournament.

Seven of her eight goals have come during the group stage, while her only knockout-stage goal was the opener in the 2024 final against Nigeria. That defeat remains the only WAFCON match Morocco have lost when Chebbak has found the net, with the Atlas Lionesses winning the other five.

Chebbak also made history at the last edition by becoming the first Moroccan player to score a hat-trick at WAFCON, doing so in a 4-2 victory over DR Congo. She has also maintained a perfect record from the penalty spot, converting all three penalties she has taken during tournament matches.

With home support once again behind them, an experienced squad led by one of Africa’s most prolific forwards, and the tactical guidance of World Cup-winning coach Jorge Vilda, Morocco will believe this could finally be the year they turn consecutive runners-up finishes into a historic first WAFCON title.

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