By Eniola Olatunji reporting for Patmos Media Line
…Debutante Malawi ready for Cameroon in epic final tomorrow at 8.00pm
HOSTS ATLAS Lionesses of Morocco sagged to penalty jinx at the 3rd place match of the WAFCON 2026 tournament losing 3-2 on penalty shootouts to the Fennecs of Algeria who won their first bronze medal in history.
It was another painful day at the Stade Olympic in Rabat for the Hosts who lost in the same manner they lost the semifinal to the Lionesses of Cameroon.
Morocco had an opportunity to end the game in a penalty advantage making journalists to wink at the dash but Nouhalla Benzina lost it in the 90+7 minutes just like Fatima Tagnaout penalty was saved by the Cameroonian Goalkeeper in the 118th minute of extra time but in the 3rd place match only 90 minutes of regular play was allowed.
It was six minutes after Ait El Haj got a yellow that she gave Kautar Azraf of Barca Women FC a pass to score the opener in the 37th minute.
That goal was spectacular as Azraf sold a dummy beating five Algerian defenders to a side before tucking the ball to the far left of the Algerian Keeper.
It was obvious that Morocco was not destined to hang the bronze medals on their neck as Maryame Atiq scored for Morocco in the 48th minute but hardly had the ovation been loud before the 21,000 crowd that the Ref ruled a foul play and disallowed the goal.
Sofia Bekhaled of Algeria got the ball and gave a pass to Lina Boussaha to score the equalizer in the 83rd minute making the Moroccans bite their lips and became coaches from the stands shouting orders.
25-year-old West Ham FC Defender, Ines Belloumi who we couldn’t quickly ascertain relationship with Lahkter Belloumi in the left full back of the male team who Mathematical Patrick Olusegun Odegbami mesmerised with dribbles at the AFCON 1980 final in Lagos was the player that made history for Algeria tonight with the winning penalty kick.
Algeria started the shootouts and scored through Bristol City FC women player, Marine Dafeur, Ould Braham missed her kick, Sofia Bekhaled scored to make it 2-2 and Morocco missed two next kicks through Chaynaa Moutaji and Najet and Roselene Khezami of Algeria missed her kick too only for Belloumi to end the game scoring her kick.
Morocco will wonder what hit them as they dominated the game majestically with 23-6 shots at goal (taking 10-5 inside the box and 13-1 outside the box with two shots hitting the woodwork) only 7-3 shots were on target.
Morocco stringed 402-268 passes making 6-2 corner kicks, yet they were only able to record a goal at regular time as the Algerian Goalkeeper dashed there hopes like the Malawian Keeper.
This Algerian Keeper made 5-2 close saves.
It was sweet revenge for Algeria who were piped by a lone goal in group A of this tournament by Morocco.
Thus, Algeria ranked 74 that could only make a quarterfinal in 2014 became bronze medalists over Morocco that was ranked 64 and were finalists back-to-back in 2022 and 2024.
Tomorrow, Sunday 16th August at 8.00pm, Debutante Scorchers of Malawi will file out against former three times Silver Medalists, the Indomitable Lionesses of Cameroon in the grand finale of WAFCON 2026 at the Moulay Hassan Stadium in Rabat.
It is wonderful that reports from Nigerian football lovers state they are snubbing their neighbours Cameroon and rooting for Malawi that scorched their Super Falcons in Group C opener to lift their first trophy on Sunday.
#FIFA #CAF #WAFCON2026
#COSAFA #CECAFA #UNIFFAC
#UNAFAC #WAFU #AFF
#RMFF #NFF.
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