Brahim Díaz etched his name into African Cup of Nations lore by becoming the first Moroccan player to score in four separate matches, his lone strike propelling the host nation past a stubborn Tanzania 1-0 in the round of 16 to book a quarter-final berth.
The Real Madrid forward broke the deadlock in the 64th minute, latching onto a pass from Achraf Hakimi before shifting onto his favored foot and drilling a shot that Tanzanian goalkeeper Hussein Masalanga could only parry into the net despite getting a hand to it
Morocco, who dominated possession and territory throughout the encounter, bombarded the Taifa Stars’ defense with wave after wave of attacks but found the East Africans compact and resilient until Díaz’s intervention.
The Atlas Lions’ relentless pressure paid off as they advanced unscathed, with Díaz now topping the tournament’s scoring charts with four goals in the 2025 edition.
Tanzania, making their deepest run in the competition, absorbed the hosts’ onslaught for over an hour but ultimately succumbed to the misjudgment on Díaz’s near-post effort.
Morocco will now await the winner of the South Africa-Cameroon clash in the last eight, as they chase a second AFCON crown on home soil.
