Vilda questions Morocco’s fourth-place finish after Algeria shootout defeat

Jorge Vilda said Morocco’s failure to win the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations 2026 third-place play-off was an unfair reflection of their performance after they were beaten by Algeria on penalties.

The match finished 1-1 after extra time, with Algeria winning the shootout 3-2 to claim the bronze medal and leave the Atlas Lionesses fourth at a tournament played on home soil.

Morocco had controlled much of the game, enjoying about 60% possession and registering 23 shots to Algeria’s six. Kautar Azraf gave the hosts a deserved lead before half-time, but Lina Boussaha brought Algeria level in the 83rd minute.

Morocco then had the chance to settle the contest before penalties, but Nouhaila Benzina struck the post from the spot in the 95th minute.

“Normally, we should have won before reaching the penalty shootout,” said Vilda, whose position has come under increasing criticism.

The Spain coach said the missed penalty made it particularly difficult for his players to cope with the shootout that followed.

“After missing a penalty in the 95th minute, it becomes very difficult mentally to approach a penalty shootout,” he said, while also referring to the responsibility and pressure placed on the Moroccan players.

Vilda had already expressed his disappointment with the manner of the defeat.

“We are very sad. We wanted to win the bronze medal, but that did not happen today,” he said.

The result continued a painful pattern for Morocco, who had also been eliminated on penalties by Cameroon in the semi-finals several days earlier.

Vilda said the latest setback was especially difficult to accept given how much his team had dominated the match.

“I do not think this way of finishing the tournament is fair, considering all the work done by the team and the way we played and dominated this match,” he said.

Morocco had reached the final in the previous two editions, in 2022 and 2024, but missed out on the podium this time after losing the third-place play-off.

For Algeria, the victory delivered the first medal in the country’s history at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.

The defeat leaves Vilda facing further scrutiny after a tournament in which Morocco failed to convert their control of the decisive matches into results. Despite creating the clearer chances against Algeria and holding the greater share of possession, they were unable to protect their lead or take advantage of Benzina’s late opportunity.

The penalty shootout ultimately decided the contest, with Algeria prevailing 3-2 and securing third place.

Louis Mukoma Fargues