By Oviri Kelvin, Sports Editor
The host nation of the Women’s African Cup of Nations, Morocco, have qualified for their first FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand after they defeated Botswana 2-1 in the quarter-final in Rabat.
According to the match statistics by the Confederations of African Football (CAF), Fatima Tagnaout, the Moroccan play maker was instrumental in creating both goals to claim a vital win that booked a semi-final
spot for the host team.
Morocco women took an early lead three minutes after the sound of the referee’s whistle through Sanaa Mssoudy, who plays for ASFAR. The Trumpet Gathered
In the build-up to the early scoreline, play maker Tagnaout cleverly placed a ‘free-kick just behind the wall allowing Mssoudy to steal in from behind with a simple tap-in to send the home supporters into ruptures’.
However, in a quick response to silence the home fans, Botswana women responded squarely through a well-taken free-kick three minutes after Mssoudy has put Maghrebians ahead.
Botswana’s Keitumetse Dithebe was responsible for the equaliser as she smashed home a powerful free-kick that goalkeeper Khadija Er-Rmichi of Morocco failed to hold.
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Undeterred by the score tally, the Atlas Lionesses in the second half restored their advantage which was defended to the very end from a setup created by Tagnaout for Yasmin Katie Mrabet.
The 23-year-old ASFAR midfielder, Tagnaout connected Mrabet through floated pass that the latter headed past Mares goalkeeper Maitumelo Boseja to earn the victory.
From the match schedule, the victorious host team, Atlass of Morocco, have booked a semi-final clash with either Lionesses of Cameroon or Super Falcons of Nigeria.
The victory means Morocco are through to the last four where they will play the winner of the match between Cameroon and Nigeria.
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