Morocco vs. Tanzania – 2026 World Cup Qualifiers: Victory with Concerns

The Moroccan national team secured an important 2-0 victory over Tanzania in the sixth round of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. This win marks Morocco’s fifth consecutive victory in the qualifiers, bringing them closer to officially securing their spot in the tournament. With only two matches remaining—against Zambia and Niger—plus the potential match against Congo-Brazzaville (pending FIFA’s final decision), Morocco is expected to confirm qualification by September.

A Numerical Overview of the Match

With this win, Morocco maintains a perfect record in the qualifiers and remains at the top of their group. The team’s dominant run suggests that their qualification is only a matter of time. However, with no official World Cup qualifying matches in June, the next key fixtures will take place in September when Morocco faces Niger at home and then travels to Zambia.

Performance and Tactical Observations

Despite the victory, Morocco’s overall performance raised concerns, especially after their unconvincing display against Niger in the previous match. The team struggled to showcase the attacking prowess they demonstrated in the African Cup of Nations qualifiers, where they had a strong scoring record.

In both games against Niger and Tanzania, the team’s attacking efficiency noticeably declined. Morocco faced difficulties in breaking down tightly organized defenses, lacked speed in transitions, and displayed inaccuracies in passing. These issues made it hard for the team to create clear scoring opportunities, leading to a performance that fell below expectations.

Changes in Lineup and Their Impact

Head coach Walid Regragui made several adjustments to the starting lineup, fielding the same three players—Ismael Saibari, Bilal El Khannous, and Abdessamad Ezzalzouli—who had significantly impacted the match against Niger. Youssef En-Nesyri was deployed as the central striker, while Achraf Hakimi’s suspension saw Noussair Mazraoui take his place at right-back, with Youssef Belamri starting on the left.

These changes, however, did not result in a significant improvement in performance. The same issues persisted, particularly in midfield transitions and overall attacking effectiveness. Nevertheless, Morocco managed to score both goals from set pieces: Jawad El Yamiq netted the opener from a corner, while Brahim Diaz secured the second from a penalty after Noussair Mazraoui’s play led to a Tanzanian handball.

Concerns Over Morocco’s Performance

While securing maximum points is crucial at this stage, the level of play remains a concern. The team has struggled with a slow build-up, a lack of attacking fluidity, and an overall lack of precision in passing and movement. These are issues that Regragui must address before the upcoming matches, especially against tougher opponents in future competitions.

 Morocco’s qualification for the World Cup seems inevitable, but the performances in recent matches   suggest there is work to be done. With tougher challenges ahead, including the Africa Cup of Nations, the team must rediscover their attacking rhythm and improve tactical execution.

The question remains: Can Morocco regain their attacking sharpness and prove they are ready for the challenges ahead?