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Team news for Morocco v Tanzania
The Atlas Lions were handed a huge boost in their final group game, welcoming back full-back and reigning African Footballer of the Year Achraf Hakimi after two months out with injury.
The PSG star was as 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 game of the competition, and has not featured since, making the likelihood of him featuring here doubtful.
Ayoub El Kaabi has made a strong case to play from the start against Tanzania after the Olympiacos striker netted three goals in the same number of matches – one of which remains a contender for goal of the tournament.
Tanzania have no fresh injury news and are expected to name the same team that started the game against Tunisia.
Mbwana Samatta, who is yet to find the back of the net in this competition, is expected to lead the line with support from Simon Msuva, Faisal Salum and Haji Mnoga.
Predicted line-ups for Morocco v Tanzania
Morocco: Bono; Salah-Eddine, El Yamiq, Aguerd, Mazraoui; Ounahi, Amrabat, El Aynaoui; Saibari, El Kaabi, Diaz
Tanzania: Masalanga; Hussein, Hamad, Nwamnyeto, Job; Miroshi, Msanga; Msuva, Salum, Mnoga; Samatta
Stats for Morocco v Tanzania
- The two sides have met eight times in all competitions, with Morocco winning seven, including the last five in succession.
- Tanzania have recorded just one victory over Morocco in their history – a 3-1 win in a 2014 World Cup qualifier – but they have never kept a clean sheet against the Atlas Lions.
- This is the second AFCON meeting between the two nations, following their group-stage encounter at the 2023 edition, which Morocco won 3-0.
- Morocco have conceded first in all three of their previous AFCON Round of 16 matches.
- 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 team advancing since best third-placed teams were introduced in 2019.
- The Taifa Stars remain winless after 12 AFCON matches, a record tied with Guinea-Bissau for the longest winless run by a team in the competition.
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