Returning captain Achraf Hakimi set up Brahim Diaz’s winner as host nation Morocco reached the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) quarter-finals by seeing off a stubborn Tanzania side in Rabat.
Starting his first match for more than two months following an ankle injury, Paris St-Germain right-back Hakimi fed Diaz to fire past Hussein Masalanga at the goalkeeper’s near post midway through the second half, sending the Atlas Lions through to a last-eight meeting with Cameroon.
The Real Madrid playmaker became the first Morocco player to score in four successive matches at the Afcon finals, having been the top scorer in qualifying with seven goals.
Hakimi hammered a free-kick against the crossbar as part of a succession of attacks by his side after the break, with Masalanga also saving impressively from Abde Ezzalzouli’s close-range header and Ayoub El Kaabi glancing Hakimi’s cross wide.
Feisal Salum had Tanzania’s best chance shortly before Diaz struck, lifting the rebound over the bar after Atlas Lions goalkeeper Yassine Bounou had been unable to hold Mohamed Hussein’s curling shot from distance.
Tanzania appealed unsuccessfully for a penalty during second-half stoppage time when Iddy Nado reached the ball in front of Adam Masina, who had a hand on the substitute’s arm and put his elbow into the Taifa Stars man’s back as he went down inside the box.
Morocco, who are looking to secure a first continental title since 1976, will face five-time champions Cameroon in the quarter-finals on Friday (19:00 GMT) after the Indomitable Lions beat South Africa 2-1 in Sunday’s late game.
