Chebbak hat-trick helps Morocco avoid DR Congo upset at Wafcon

Ghizlane Chebbak (left) netted the first hat-trick at the Wafcon finals since November 2018, when Nigeria's Asisat Oshoala found the net three times against Equatorial Guinea

Ghizlane Chebbak was the hero once again as the Morocco captain scored a fine hat-trick to ensure her team did not slip up against DR Congo, with the 2024 Women's Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) hosts eventually winning 4-2 after a topsy-turvy game in Rabat.

Chebbak, who turns 35 next month and was named player of the tournament at the previous Wafcon, had already saved the Atlas Lionesses in their opening match against Zambia, curling home from long range late on to snatch a 2-2 draw.

This time she struck twice in the space of 19 first-half minutes to settle nerves after Merveille Kanjinga had silenced a packed Olympic Stadium by giving the Congolese a shock lead with just six minutes on the clock.

The Central Africans, who scored with their only two shots on target, were briefly back level again thanks to Flavine Mawete's goal with 20 minutes remaining.

But Chebbak slid in at the far post to complete her hat-trick just six minutes later, while a Yasmin Mrabet penalty in the closing stages finally broke DR Congo's resistance.

Morocco's victory came after Zambia had beaten Senegal 3-2 earlier on Wednesday, with both the North Africans and the Copper Queens now almost certain to qualify from Group A, but the Congolese are on the brink of an early exit after a second successive defeat.

The final round of group fixtures will see Morocco face Senegal and Zambia take on DR Congo on Saturday, with both games kicking off at 19:00 GMT.

Chebbak leads by example in Rabat

Chebbak is the joint top scorer at this year's Wafcon with four goals alongside Senegal's Nguenar Ndiaye

Chebbak's fine goalscoring form in her country's opening two games means she has already eclipsed her total from the 2022 Wafcon finals, also hosted by Morocco, when she struck three times in the group stage.

While a stray cat sauntered into the Moroccan dugout at one point, it is Chebbak who purrs her way through games, her grace and poise in possession eclipsing everyone else on the pitch.

She also has the knack of being in the right place at the right time.

Her first goal came after she decided to drop into space just inside the penalty area as team-mate Ibtissam Jraidi challenged Aimeraude Mawanda for a header.

Neither player won the ball cleanly, but it did drop perfectly for Chebbak, whose right-foot volley arrowed past goalkeeper Fideline Ngoy in the 25th minute.

With two minutes of normal time to play in the first half, Chebbak turned poacher, turning home from a matter of inches after Mawanda had inadvertently deflected the ball against her own post after Ngoy made a mess of a bobbling cross.

Those goals came after DR Congo's star player, Paris St-Germain forward Kanjinga, who had missed her side's 4-0 defeat against Senegal through suspension, gave her side an early lead by embarrassing Morocco keeper Kadija Er-Rmichi.

Having also been at fault for Zambia's first goal in the tournament's opening match, Er-Rmichi will surely feel she should have done better to stop Kanjinga's effort that went through the legs of defender Nouhaila Benzina and across goal to nestle in the side netting.

The fact possession was given away carelessly by Benzina's centre-back partner Aziza Rabbah in the build up to the goal means Morocco's World Cup-winning coach Jorge Vilda has much to ponder when it comes to his defence.

Congolese heading for exit

However, with Chebbak in the team, the North Africans will feel they have a chance of going all the way and avenging their defeat by South Africa in the 2022 final.

Played in noticeably cooler conditions than previous games at the tournament, the crowd in Rabat had been beefed up from Saturday's opener by bussing people in to the stadium, something which caused traffic chaos ahead of kick-off.

There were gasps from those fans when substitute Mawete opened up her body to put the Leopardesses level at 2-2 with a precise curling finish midway through the second period.

But Chebbak once more knew exactly where to be when Imene El Ghazouani delivered a deliciously inviting cross that the skipper stretched to touch home on 76 minutes.

The hosts, who had nearly 70 per cent of the ball during the match, then created chances to put the game to bed, eventually taking one when striker Anissa Lahmari had her foot trodden on in the box and Namibian referee Antsino Twanyanyukwa pointed to the spot.

With designated penalty taker Jraidi off the pitch, Yasmin Mrabet stepped up to send the keeper the wrong way in the 83rd minute.

Sanaa Mssoudy and Lahmari both wasted good chances to make the scoreline more emphatic, but this result will please Morocco, even if Vilda will see plenty of room for improvement ahead of their game against a Senegal side who have impressed so far.

For the Congolese, the result means they have lost their opening two fixtures at a Wafcon for the first time.

Off-field issues and results on the pitch mean their return to the finals after a 13-year absence has not been a happy one.

They will need to beat Zambia by a wide margin to stand any chance of progressing as one of the best third-placed sides, something that looks highly unlikely.

Banda nets again for Zambia

Barbra Banda (right) has three goals at this year's Wafcon finals, one fewer than Chebbak and Ndiaye

Elsewhere, Zambia moved to the brink of a place in the quarter-finals after Barbra Banda's double helped the Copper Queens come from behind to beat Senegal in Mohammedia.

Nguenar Ndiaye rounded the goalkeeper and slotted home to give the West Africans a fifth-minute lead but Banda equalised seven minute later.

Racheal Kundananji fired the Zambians ahead six minutes after the break before Banda, the reigning BBC Women's Footballer of the Year, pounced on a rebound to make it 3-1 in the 74th minute.

Ndiaye pulled a goal back from the penalty spot with 10 minutes remaining after being fouled by Ngambo Musole but Senegal could not find a leveller in the closing stages.

Morocco and Zambia are both on four points in Group A, with the Atlas Lionesses top on goal difference, while Senegal are third on three points.