The 2024 CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) kicked off with a bang on Saturday night as host country Morocco played a thrilling 2-2 draw against Zambia at the Rabat Olympic Stadium.
Zambia made an explosive start when captain Barbara Banda scored in the very first minute of the match, catching the Moroccan defence completely off guard. It was a nightmare beginning for the home side.
But Morocco quickly hit back. In the 12th minute, they won a penalty, which was calmly scored to make it 1-1.
Zambia responded just over 15 minutes later. In the 27th minute, striker Racheal Kundananji punished more poor defending from the hosts to give Zambia the lead again with a cool finish.
With a large home crowd cheering them on, Morocco pushed hard for another equaliser in the second half. The Zambian defence stayed strong, but midfielder Ghizlan Chebbak eventually found a way through, scoring a brilliant goal late in the game to level the score at 2-2.
The match showed how competitive the WAFCON tournament has become, though Morocco’s weak defending raised concerns—especially conceding in the first minute, something no coach wants to see.
Despite those issues, both teams delivered an exciting match to open the tournament, with Morocco’s attacking spirit and Zambia’s fast start keeping fans on the edge of their seats.
Morocco, runners-up in WAFCON 2022, are hoping to win the title this time. Their recent rise also saw them qualify for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, proving they are now one of Africa’s top teams.
Zambia, playing in their fourth WAFCON, finished third in 2022 after beating Nigeria. They’ll be aiming for an even better result in this year’s competition.
