The West Africans went into the Group A fixture seeking to beat the hosts and stand a chance to reach the quarter-finals, but they only managed a draw, which was not enough.
The draw took the Atlas Lionesses to seven points, enough to finish ahead of Algeria, who beat Kenya 2-0 in the group’s other match to secure second place and qualification for the quarter-finals.
Senegal ended third with four points, while Kenya finished bottom without a point. Morocco had the best opportunity to win the game, but Senegal goalkeeper Adji Ndiaye produced the decisive moments of the match by saving two penalties in the second half.
Speaking after the game, Cisse confirmed he was stepping down from the coaching role and wished the team all the best in future endeavours.
‘It’s time to hand the reins’
“It’s time to leave and let others come and break through this glass ceiling. Today (Monday), we have a good team, we’re in a good dynamic,” said Cisse as quoted by Wiw Sport.
“Perhaps another coach, with a different vision and experience, can lead this team towards the goals we’ve set for ourselves.
“I’ve been here for 10 years. It’s time to hand the reins over to someone else, to try new things. I’ve given everything I had, but apparently, it’s not enough.”
Cisse further admitted Senegal’s objective at the WAFCON 2026 was not achieved and further took full responsibility for the team’s failures in Morocco.
“The objective was not achieved,” acknowledged Cisse. “On a personal level, I take responsibility. This third consecutive Women’s Africa Cup of Nations was supposed to be my last.”
Speaking ahead of the Morocco game, Cisse maintained he does not regret past results, insisting his focus was to beat Morocco in Rabat.
“I’m not someone who dwells on regrets. I’m demanding of myself. I’m a very positive person, someone who always remains hopeful,” said Cisse.
“The only important match now is the one against Morocco. We have to give ourselves the means to get a good result. We can’t dwell on the first two matches.
“We’re facing a difficult game. We’ll have to raise our standards to hope for a good result.”
WAFCON 2026
The 2026 Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) is taking place from July 26th to August 16th in Morocco, across venues in Rabat and Casablanca. The continent's 16 best sides are competing in groups of four before the knockout stages commence on August 8th.
All you need to know about WAFCON | Group standings, fixtures and results | All the latest WAFCON news
Tanzania coach Shime confident
Meanwhile, Tanzania coach Bakari Shime is confident that the Twiga Stars will produce a good display and defeat Ivory Coast in their final group fixture on Tuesday.
Shime’s outfit started the WAFCON with a surprise 2-1 victory over former winners South Africa, their first triumph in tournament history, before falling 2-1 to Burkina Faso in a thrilling tie at the Larbi Zaouli Stadium in Casablanca.
“Our loss to Burkina Faso was devastating but we have re-assembled our energies to focus on our next match. This is a must-win one for us to stay in the competition,” Shime told CAFOnline.com.
“It is a difficult match but we want to fight for our country and to represent Tanzania in the best way possible.”
Tanzania captain Opa Clement added: “This is it. This is the game that defines our tournament and we have spoken amongst ourselves as players and also listened to the coaches.
“We are ready to implement what we have been told. The plan is to be victorious and go to the knockout stages of the WAFCON. That would mean so much to us as a team.”
A win for Tanzania will see them reach six points and advance to the quarter-finals of the tournament.
