Morocco vs Tanzania: composition, statistics and preview

Morocco-Tanzania team news

The Atlas Lions received a huge boost in their final group match, welcoming back full-back and reigning African Footballer of the Year Achraf Hakimi after two months out due to injury.

The PSG star was a second-half substitute in the win over Zambia, however, it remains to be seen whether the 27-year-old will be fit enough to start the match.

Romain Saiss suffered a muscle injury in Morocco’s first match in the competition and has not played since, making his likelihood of featuring here doubtful.

Ayoub El Kaabi made a strong case to play from the start against Tanzania after the Olympiacos striker scored three goals in the same number of matches – with one remaining. a contender for the goal of the tournament.

Tanzania have no injury news and are expected to name the same team that started the match against Tunisia.

Mbwana Samatta, who is yet to find the net in this competition, is expected to lead the line with support from Simon Msuva, Faisal Salum and Haji Mnoga.

Line-up planned for Morocco against Tanzania

Morocco: Bono; Salah-Eddine, The Mother, Aguerd, Mazraoui; Ounahi, Amrab, Aynaoui; Saibari, The Canaan, Diaz

Tanzania: Nut; Hussein, Hamad, Nwamnyeto, Job; Miroshi, sorghum; Msuva, Salum, Mnoga; Samatta

Statistics for the Morocco vs Tanzania match

• The two teams have met eight times in all competitions, with Morocco having won seven, including the last five in a row.
• Tanzania have only recorded one victory against Morocco in their history – a 3-1 victory in a 2014 World Cup qualifier – but they have never kept a clean sheet against the Atlas Lions.
• This is the second CAN meeting between the two nations, after their meeting in the group stage of the 2023 edition, won by Morocco 3-0.
• Morocco conceded first in its three previous CAN round of 16 matches.
• A victory would take Morocco to the quarter-finals for the fifth time (1998, 2004, 2017, 2021).
• Tanzania’s progression with two points is the lowest total for a progressing team since the introduction of the best third-placed teams in 2019.
• Taifa Stars remain winless after 12 AFCON matches, a record tied with Guinea-Bissau for the longest winless streak by a team in the competition.