Algeria opened their TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) Morocco 2026 campaign with a composed 2-0 victory over Senegal on Saturday evening, making the perfect start to their Group A challenge in Rabat.
Goals from Marine Dafeur in the first half and Mélissa Bethi late in the second ensured the North Africans claimed all three points with a disciplined performance that strengthened their hopes of reaching the knockout stages.
Although Senegal enjoyed slightly more possession, Algeria were more incisive in attack, forcing five saves from the Senegalese goalkeeper while limiting their opponents to just two shots on target.
Algeria made the breakthrough in the 13th minute when Marine Dafeur converted from the penalty spot to give her side an early advantage.
The North Africans grew in confidence after taking the lead, settling into the contest with organised defending and purposeful attacking play as they controlled much of the remainder of the first half.
Senegal attempted to raise the tempo after the interval, but Algeria emerged with renewed intensity and continued to create the better opportunities.
A series of substitutions midway through the second half helped Algeria maintain their momentum, while Senegal introduced fresh attacking options in search of an equaliser.
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The decisive second goal arrived five minutes from time when Lina Boussaha found Mélissa Bethi, who finished confidently to double Algeria’s advantage and effectively seal the victory.
Senegal pushed forward during the closing stages, but Algeria remained compact defensively to preserve their clean sheet and secure a deserved opening day win.
Senegal head coach Mame Moussa Cisse admitted his side paid the price for costly mistakes and urged his players to respond positively in their next outing.
“We gave our opponents too much space. We lost this match because of the individual errors we made.
“We will analyse what worked, take the necessary lessons from this performance, and shift our focus to the next match. We now have to regroup and make sure we beat Kenya.”
The result gives Algeria an ideal platform ahead of a mouth-watering Group A showdown with tournament hosts Morocco on Thursday. Senegal, meanwhile, will look to bounce back when they face Kenya in their second group fixture.
