CAN 2025: The 5 key players for the Morocco vs Tanzania clash

04.01.26 FT AFCON - Africa Cup of Nations

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As the host nation of CAN 2025, Morocco has drawn a manageable opponent for the round of 16. The Atlas Lions are set to face Tanzania on Sunday, January 4, 2026, at 16:00 GMT.

Here are the 5 players to watch in this encounter:

Brahim Diaz (Morocco)

He’s the linchpin of this Moroccan side. With his dazzling play, Diaz creates space, delivers scoring chances for his teammates, and has been clinical himself, notching three goals since the start of the tournament.

Also read: CAN 2025: It's alreadya ticketing disaster

Ayoub El Kaabi (Morocco)

He has won the trust of Walid Regragui, relegating Sofiane Rahimi to the bench. El Kaabi lit up the group stage with two superb goals. Could he pull off a spectacular bicycle kick for a third against the Taifa Stars?

Noussair Mazraoui (Morocco)

The Bayern Munich full-back has made the most of Achraf Hakimi’s injury to shine on the right flank. His standout performances earned him a spot in the tournament’s group stage best XI.

Ally Samatta (Tanzania)

With 19 goals in 75 caps, the Le Havre AC striker is the star of this Tanzanian team. However, he’s struggled to make a decisive impact at CAN 2025 so far.

Feisal Salum (Tanzania)

Scorer of the equalizer against Tunisia (1-1), Salum propelled Tanzania to a historic qualification for the CAN knockout stage. He’ll be looking to continue that trend against Morocco.

Imed Ben Amara |

Editorar, fr

Imed Ben Amara - bilingual sports writer and web editor with experience in football content creation. Since 2021, he has contributed to Foot Africa, providing news coverage and analysis.

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Tanzania

AFCON - Africa Cup of Nations