Algeria Claim Historic Third Place at WAFCON 2026
Algeria completed a historic campaign at WAFCON 2026. After securing qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup for the first time, the Algerian national team defeated Morocco in a dramatic penalty shootout to claim third place in the tournament.
The hosts came extremely close to winning the match. They controlled much of the contest and even had a penalty in stoppage time to seal the victory, but Nouhaila Benzina struck the post.
Algeria survived and ultimately celebrated from the penalty spot.
Morocco Dominate and Find the Breakthrough
Morocco started the match on the front foot at the Rabat Olympic Stadium. The hosts controlled possession while Algeria remained organized defensively, patiently waiting for an opportunity to counterattack.
The first major warning came in the 17th minute. Sakina Ouzraoui broke down the right and found Kautar Azraf, whose first-time effort struck the post.
Azraf would eventually be the player to break the deadlock.
In the 37th minute, the Barcelona B player produced a brilliant move inside the penalty area, created enough space for herself and finished to make it 1-0. It was a superb individual effort from the player developed at La Masia.
Morocco went into halftime with the lead and looking like the better side.
Algeria Survive and Boussaha Delivers
Morocco thought they had doubled their advantage immediately after the restart.
A cross from Hanane Ait El Haj found Maryem Atiq in the 47th minute, and her header ended up in the back of the net. However, VAR intervened and detected a foul by the Moroccan player. The goal was disallowed, keeping Algeria alive.
The visitors took a long time to respond. Their first shot on target did not arrive until the 73rd minute through Lina Boussaha.
But Algeria slowly began to grow into the match.
And in the 82nd minute, Boussaha appeared again.
The forward collected a through ball that sent her one-on-one with the goalkeeper and calmly finished to make it 1-1. After spending much of the match defending, Algeria had found the equalizer.
Benzina Had Third Place in Her Hands
The real drama was still to come.
In stoppage time, Ouassila Alouache came extremely close to completing Algeria’s comeback, but she dragged her effort just wide of the post.
However, VAR was reviewing an earlier incident for a possible foul on Sakina Ouzraoui.
The decision was a penalty for Morocco.
The 95th minute. Virtually the final kick of the match. Third place was only 12 yards away.
Nouhaila Benzina stepped up, took her shot... and hit the post.
Incredibly, Algeria had survived again.
Third place would be decided by penalties.
Algeria Make History From the Penalty Spot
The shootout was every bit as dramatic as the match itself.
Marine Dafeur opened the scoring for Algeria, while Zineb Redouani failed to convert Morocco’s first attempt after the goalkeeper made the save.
Morocco stayed alive thanks to successful penalties from Élodie Nakkach and Raina Boutiebi, but the misses eventually became too costly.
Chaymaa Mourtaji also failed to convert before Najat Badri missed Morocco’s decisive attempt.
It was over.
Algeria claimed third place at WAFCON 2026, completing the best campaign in the country’s history at the tournament.
Morocco controlled the match, took the lead and even had a penalty in the 95th minute to win it.
But Algeria never stopped believing.
They equalized when they appeared to be on the ropes, survived Benzina’s late penalty and finally celebrated from the spot.
A historic medal to complete a WAFCON campaign that Algerian women’s soccer will not soon forget.
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