Offensive efficiency puts the "lionesses" in front of a real test in the knockout stages.

The Moroccan women's national team secured their place in the quarter-finals of the 2026 Africa Cup of Nations, topping Group A with seven points, following two victories over Kenya and Algeria and a goalless draw in their final group match against Senegal.

Despite the success of the "Atlas Lionesses" in reaching the quarter-finals and continuing their pursuit of the title, two experts in women's football believe that the team's performance revealed some aspects that need review, particularly in terms of offensive efficiency and capitalizing on scoring opportunities, as the knockout matches begin where there is no room for error.

In this regard, national coach Kawthar Reda stated that the "Atlas Lionesses" delivered a great match against the Kenyan team, which appeared at a modest level, emphasizing that this allowed the national players to impose their control over the match and secure their first victory.

Reda explained, in a statement to Hespress, that the match against Algeria was like a "Maghreb derby," against a team that has "developed significantly and proved its presence in this edition," noting that "despite the strong performance of the opponent and putting pressure on the Moroccan team in a competitive match, experience and determination enabled the Moroccans to secure the result by scoring a goal in the final minutes of the second half and clinching the three points."

The same speaker confirmed that expectations were higher in the third match against Senegal, but the team faced a tough opponent who entered the match aiming for second place. She described the first half for the Moroccan team as "very poor," before things improved in the second half thanks to substitutions that paid off and provided the team with greater offensive effectiveness, creating many opportunities.

Kawthar Reda also addressed the missed penalty by player Yasmin Marabat, indicating that missing penalties is a natural part of the game, pointing out the issue of not converting the many chances created by the team into goals, and expressing her hope that the "Lionesses" coach, Jorge Vilda, will work on addressing this aspect before the upcoming rounds, after securing qualification.