WAFCON 2026: Morocco turn attention to knockout stage as Jorge Vilda targets deeper run

Morocco coach Jorge Vilda says his side’s Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) campaign is “far from over” after the Atlas Lionesses finished top of Group A despite being held to a goalless draw by Senegal.

The hosts progressed to the quarter-finals with seven points from three matches and ended the group stage without conceding a goal, underlining their status as one of Africa’s strongest contenders for the title.

Although disappointed not to secure a third consecutive victory, Vilda insisted Morocco remain on course to achieve their ambitions at the tournament and eventually return to the Women’s World Cup.

Unbeaten Morocco look ahead

Morocco dominated large periods of Monday’s contest but were unable to find a breakthrough, with Senegal’s goalkeeper producing a series of crucial saves to preserve the draw.

“We’ve been very effective in some matches, while in others we’ve scored from very few chances,” Vilda said. “Moving forward, we have to be more clinical because scoring gives players the confidence they need to keep performing well.”

The Spanish coach acknowledged the challenge posed by Senegal’s pace and physicality, particularly in one-on-one situations and balls played behind the Moroccan defence.

“We faced a team with very quick players, so it’s normal to experience some difficulties in individual battles and balls played behind the defense,” he said.

“Overall, though, the players performed well and showed great determination in those duels. We’ll continue working on improving those aspects.”

Defensive strength offers encouragement

Despite failing to score against Senegal, Vilda was quick to highlight Morocco’s defensive resilience, with the Atlas Lionesses completing the group phase without conceding a single goal.

“The disappointment comes from not scoring, but we have to focus on the positives,” he added. “Their goalkeeper was the best player on the pitch, which says a lot about the chances we created. Senegal also struggled to build attacks, while we remained defensively solid throughout the group stage.”

The hosts now switch their attention to the quarter-finals, where they hope to continue their bid for continental glory on home soil.

‘The journey is far from over’

While topping Group A represents an important milestone, Vilda stressed that Morocco’s ambitions extend far beyond the group stage.

“The journey is far from over,” Vilda concluded. “We’re not celebrating yet because our objective is to go as far as possible in this tournament. We’ll prepare well for the quarterfinals because we believe Morocco deserves to progress, and we also dream of returning to the Women’s World Cup.”

With confidence growing and the knockout rounds approaching, Morocco will believe they have the quality to challenge for a historic WAFCON triumph in front of their home supporters.