Morocco target winning send-off against Algeria in Women’s Africa Cup of Nations

Morocco will aim to end the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations 2026 with a bronze medal when they face Algeria in the third-place play-off at Rabat’s Olympic Stadium on Saturday.

The Lionesses of the Atlas were eliminated in the semi-finals, but head coach Jorge Vilda wants his side to recover from that disappointment by securing a final victory in front of their home supporters.

Vilda acknowledged that finishing third was not part of Morocco’s original plan, but said the match now offered his players an important chance to achieve something significant at the tournament.

“It’s not what we hoped for, nor what we worked hard for, but for us, it is very important – for the supporters, for everyone and for the whole country – to achieve something new. For me, if we win tomorrow, it will be the best way to finish this competition in these circumstances,” he said.

The Spanish manager also stressed the importance of maintaining perspective after the semi-final defeat. He said his players understood that football brought different phases, depending on whether a team was winning or losing.

“My players know what football is. When you win, you go through one phase, and when you do not win, you go through another. But deep down, my players know that we have qualified for the World Cup next summer. The whole of next season and the whole year will be dedicated to preparation,” Vilda explained.

Morocco’s qualification for the World Cup gives the squad a longer-term objective despite the disappointment of missing out on the final. Vilda said the group had already shown it could look beyond the immediate result and focus on what comes next.

The backing of the Moroccan public has also been a major source of encouragement for the team throughout the competition. Vilda expects that support to remain strong for the final match.

“For the supporters, throughout the whole competition, it was incredible, it was extraordinary. And I expect, I know, I am sure that it will be the same in the last match of this competition. I have no doubt about that,” he said.

Morocco will therefore seek to close their home tournament with a positive result against Algeria and claim the bronze medal. Victory would allow the Lionesses of the Atlas to finish the competition with a success, while also providing a final reward for the supporters who have backed them throughout their campaign.