Morocco and Algeria both opened WAFCON 2026 with victories, creating an immediate meeting between Group A’s two leading teams. Hosts Morocco defeated Kenya 4-0 after scoring three times before half-time, while Algeria overcame Senegal 2-0 through Marine Dafeur’s penalty and a late Melissa Bethi goal.
The table shows two teams on three points, but their performances followed different patterns. Morocco overwhelmed Kenya and moved top on goal difference. Algeria survived a much more balanced contest by taking advantage of the moments Senegal failed to manage.
Their next meeting will reveal considerably more about which team is ready to control the group.
Morocco Remove the Opening-Night Uncertainty
Morocco are trying to win WAFCON for the first time after finishing as runners-up at the previous two editions. Kenya, returning to the continental tournament after a decade away, offered the hosts an opportunity to begin convincingly, but also the risk of allowing expectation to affect their performance.
That uncertainty lasted only 19 minutes. Sakina Ouzraoui opened the scoring before Meriem Atiq doubled the advantage with a header in the 28th minute. Ibtissam Jraidi added Morocco’s third three minutes later, effectively settling the match before the interval.
Jraidi struck again in the 49th minute to complete her brace and finish a dominant opening performance. Morocco recorded eight shots on target compared with Kenya’s one. With the result secure, Jorge Vilda was also able to make substitutions and reduce the demands on several players before the meeting with Algeria.
“It’s a good start,” Vilda said. “When you start a tournament like this, it means you’ve had good preparation.”
Algeria Win a Match Defined by Small Margins
Algeria’s 2-0 victory was less comfortable than the score suggests. Both Algeria and Senegal registered three shots on target. Senegal created promising moments and forced Chloé N’Gazi into saves, but the match changed through two individual mistakes.
The first came shortly before half-time. A foul on Amira Ould Braham was punished following a VAR review, allowing Dafeur to drive the resulting penalty high beneath the crossbar.
Senegal attempted to respond after the interval. N’Gazi denied Sokhna Pene and gathered Mama Diop’s effort from distance as Algeria protected their advantage.
Goalkeeper Khady Faye had been one of Senegal’s strongest performers, producing several saves to keep her team within one goal. Her display was undone in the 88th minute when a poor pass allowed Lina Boussaha to regain possession near the penalty area.
Boussaha found Bethi, who beat her defender and finished powerfully to secure the points. Senegal coach Mame Moussa Cissé did not disguise the reason for the defeat.
“We lost this match because of the individual errors we made,” he said. “We now have to regroup and make sure we beat Kenya.”
Two Winners With Different Questions
Morocco’s opening victory was built on territorial control, pressure and attacking volume. Algeria’s came from remaining organised and handling decisive moments better than Senegal. Those differences make their meeting particularly interesting.
Morocco will face an opponent that has already shown it can stay in a tight match and punish mistakes. Algeria must cope with a home team that scored four times and produced eight shots on target in its opener.
Victory for either side would create a six-point start and place the quarter-finals within reach. A draw would preserve the advantage both already hold over Senegal and Kenya. Morocco begin as the group’s leading scorers. Algeria enter knowing they do not need to dominate a match to win it.
Senegal and Kenya Enter an Early Elimination Test
The other Group A fixture has acquired equal significance for different reasons. Senegal and Kenya both begin the second round without a point. Senegal must recover from the frustration of a game in which their mistakes were more damaging than the overall performance. Kenya must respond after Morocco effectively ended their opening match before half-time.
Another defeat would leave either team facing a highly difficult route to the top two. Kenya coach Beldine Odemba identified transitions as one of her team’s main problems against Morocco. Cissé’s Senegal must eliminate the individual errors that decided their match.
Group A has taken shape more quickly than expected. Morocco and Algeria are playing for early control; Senegal and Kenya are already playing to prevent their campaigns from slipping away.
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