By our man in Rabat
RABAT, Morocco — THE Atlas Lions turned the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium into a shimmering sea of red and green as they marched into the AFCON quarter-finals with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Tanzania.
In the heart of Rabat, under the deafening roar of nearly 70,000 fanatical supporters, the hosts proved that their fortress is nearly impenetrable.
The newly renovated stadium, just seven kilometres from the city centre, provided a world-class backdrop for a night that felt more like a coronation than a Round of 16 clash.
Real Madrid star Brahim Diaz was the hero of the hour. In the 64th minute, he ignited a literal earthquake of celebration within the stands.
After being fed by captain Achraf Hakimi, Diaz danced toward the byline before rifling a shot home from a tight angle, leaving the Tanzanian keeper clutching at thin air.
The Taifa Stars were far from mere spectators in the Rabat pressure cooker.
They defended with their lives and even threatened an early upset when Simon Msuva missed a golden opportunity in the opening minutes.
Morocco also saw an Ismael Saibari header chalked off by VAR, keeping the tension at a boiling point.
But the sheer atmosphere of the Prince Moulay Abdellah—a venue that has hosted everything from the Club World Cup to the African Games—seemed to carry the Moroccans through.
As the clock ticked down through seven minutes of agonizing injury time, the home crowd’s wall of sound ensured there would be no late heartbreak for the hosts.
With this win, Morocco remains on track to end their 50-year trophy drought.
They will return to the same Rabat turf for the quarter-finals, where the noise will undoubtedly be even louder.
