MATCH STATS: Morocco face Algeria in TotalEnergies CAF WAFCON third-place play-off

On Aug 14, 2026

Published:
Saturday, 15 August 2026

Hosts Morocco and Algeria will battle for a podium finish when they meet in the third-place play-off at the TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2026 at the Rabat Olympic Stadium on Saturday, August 15.

MATCH FACTS

This will be the first meeting between two North African teams in a medal match at WAFCON.
It is also the first time two teams from the same region will contest the third-place play-off.
Morocco are the second tournament hosts to feature in the third-place play-off and the first since South Africa defeated Cameroon 2-0 in 2010.
The highest-scoring third-place play-off produced nine goals when Ghana defeated Zimbabwe 6-3 in 2000.
The next two highest-scoring third-place play-offs both produced six goals: DR Congo’s 3-3 draw with Cameroon in 1998, which DR Congo won 3-1 on penalties, and Cameroon’s 4-2 victory over Mali in 2018.
Five third-place play-offs have gone to penalties, the first being DR Congo’s victory over Cameroon in 1998.
Ghana defeated Ethiopia on penalties in 2004 after a 0-0 draw, winning the shoot-out 6-5. It remains the only goalless third-place play-off.
South Africa claimed third place in 2006 when a 2-2 draw with Cameroon was followed by a 5-4 penalty shoot-out victory.
Cameroon lost the 2008 third-place play-off to Nigeria on penalties following a 1-1 draw, going down 5-4 in the shoot-out.
At the last edition, Ghana and South Africa drew 1-1 before the Ghanaians won 4-3 on penalties.
The biggest winning margins in the third-place play-off have been Ghana’s 6-3 victory over Zimbabwe in 2000, Cameroon’s 3-0 win against South Africa in 2002, South Africa’s 2-0 success over Cameroon in 2010 and Cameroon’s 4-2 victory against Mali in 2018.
The third-place play-off has finished 1-0 on four occasions, including victories for Cameroon over Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire over South Africa, Ghana over South Africa and Zambia over Nigeria.
Cameroon have contested the third-place play-off seven times, recording three wins and four defeats.
South Africa have featured six times, with two wins and four defeats.
No team has finished third more often than Ghana, who have won all four of their third-place play-offs, doing so in 2000, 2004, 2016 and 2024.
The winner of this match will become the eighth different nation to finish third at WAFCON, joining Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, DR Congo, Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa and Zambia.
Morocco and Algeria will meet for the second time at WAFCON.
The two North African neighbours share a border stretching more than 1,500 kilometres.
They met in their second group game at the current tournament, which Morocco won 1-0 courtesy of Sanaa Mssoudy’s 84th-minute strike.
This will be the third time two teams who met in the group stages have faced each other again in the third-place play-off.
In 2012, Nigeria defeated Cameroon 2-1 in the group stages before the Indomitable Lionesses gained revenge with a 1-0 win in the third-place play-off.
In 2018, Cameroon defeated Mali twice, winning 2-1 in the group stages and 4-2 in the third-place play-off.
Victory for Morocco would see them defeat the same country twice at a single WAFCON edition for the first time.
This will be Morocco’s third WAFCON game against North African opposition. They won their previous two, defeating Egypt 4-1 in the 1998 group stages and Algeria 1-0 at the current edition.
Morocco are facing North African opposition outside the group stages for the first time.
Algeria are yet to win or score against a North African rival at WAFCON, having drawn 0-0 with Tunisia in the 2024 group stages and lost 1-0 to Morocco at the current edition.
Algeria are also facing a North African opponent beyond the group stages for the first time.

Morocco – Key Statistics

Victory would see Morocco finish inside the top three at WAFCON for a third time, having been runners-up in 2022 and 2024.
A win would also see Morocco finish inside the top three in all three tournaments they have hosted.
Should they fail to win, Morocco will finish outside the top three as WAFCON hosts for the first time.
Morocco drew 0-0 with Cameroon in their semi-final before losing 3-1 on penalties.
This is the first time as WAFCON hosts that Morocco have failed to reach at least the final.
Prior to their loss to Cameroon, Morocco had won their previous two WAFCON penalty shoot-outs, against Nigeria in the 2022 semi-finals and Ghana in the 2024 semi-finals.
Morocco had converted all nine penalties they had taken in their previous two WAFCON shoot-outs.
Hanane Ait El Haj converted Morocco’s first penalty against Cameroon, extending their run to 10 successful spot-kicks in WAFCON shoot-outs. No country had previously converted its first 10 penalties in shoot-outs at the tournament.
Kenza Chapelle, who had Morocco’s second penalty saved against Cameroon, became the first Moroccan player to fail to convert in a WAFCON shoot-out.
Chapelle had previously converted her penalty in the shoot-out victory over Ghana in the 2024 semi-finals.
Maryame Atiq and Sakina Ouzraoui also had penalties saved against Cameroon.
All three of Morocco’s WAFCON semi-finals have been decided on penalties.
Morocco were involved in a goalless WAFCON knockout match for the first time against Cameroon, having seen goals scored in their previous seven.
Prior to the current edition, Morocco had been involved in just one 0-0 draw at WAFCON, against DR Congo in their final group game in 1998. They have featured in two at the current tournament.
Morocco have yet to win a WAFCON knockout game beyond the semi-final stage, having lost their previous two finals to South Africa in 2022 and Nigeria in 2024.
They failed to score in a WAFCON knockout game for the first time against Cameroon, having found the net in their previous seven.
Morocco attempted 566 passes against Cameroon, completing 426.
They managed three shots on target in the semi-final.
Morocco had 64% possession against Cameroon.

Algeria – Key Statistics

Algeria were eliminated in the semi-finals following a 3-1 defeat to Malawi.
Regardless of the outcome of the third-place play-off, Algeria will achieve their highest-ever finish at a WAFCON finals.
Morgane Belkhiter was sent off in the 22nd minute of the defeat to Malawi, becoming the first Algerian player to receive a red card at WAFCON.
Algeria’s last two games have produced three red cards, with Côte d’Ivoire and Malawi also having a player sent off against them.
The defeat to Malawi was Algeria’s first loss in open play in a WAFCON knockout match.
Their only other defeat in a knockout game came on penalties against Ghana at the 2024 edition following a 0-0 draw. It is the only WAFCON penalty shoot-out Algeria have been involved in.
Ikram Adjabi scored her first goal of the tournament in the defeat to Malawi, becoming the sixth different Algerian player to score at the current edition.
Algeria’s last three goals have all been scored in the second half.
They managed nine shots on target against Malawi.
Adjabi had four shots on target, the most of any player in the semi-final.
Goalkeeper Chloé N’Gazi made four saves in the defeat to Malawi.

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