“I’m absolutely delighted, we didn’t hold anything back.”
Weary faces and tired legs are to be expected after 120 minutes of chasing the ball and making the opposition work hard, but Sanaa Mssoudy and all her ASFAR team-mates had good reason to proud of their performance. In round two of the FIFA Women’s Champions Cup 2026™, the Moroccans knocked out a resilient Wuhan Chegu Jiangda WFC, beating them 2-1 after extra time in FIFA’s new cross-continental club competition.
“Alhamdulillah, we deserved to win, so I would like to thank the girls, the coaching staff, the club management who supported us, and the fans who are always there for us,” added the energetic 25-year-old forward, who scored the winner in extra time. “I haven’t got anything else to say… It’s not about us, but rather the result. We were determined to win this match. We knew we could do it, and that’s exactly what we did.”
The task was far from easy, however, with the Chinese side taking the lead just before the half-hour thanks to a superb left-footed strike from Wang Shuang. The Asian champions had already gone down in history by winning the round one tie against the Oceania champions Auckland United last October. They were agonisingly close to advancing further, too, with ASFAR only equalising in the 89th minute when Hajar Said headed home. ASFAR then clinched victory in extra time when Mssoudy netted in the 104th minute.
“Our opponents were set up well, organised and disciplined, but we managed to break them down,” added captain Najat Badri. “Everyone knows that ASFAR is a club that never gives up and always performs well in all competitions. We have made history, like always.”
“It’s a club with a close-knit family feel, but you have to be well-disciplined,” added Anissa Lahmari, who was born in France and has played for clubs including Paris Saint-Germain and Guingamp. “When you move from Europe to Morocco, you find it even more satisfying to see the girls’ hard work and efforts pay off, like tonight.
“We don’t often find ourselves on the back foot in the league, but it has happened before. Today, we’ve shown that we can turn things around. The coach knew just what to say, and I’m so happy for everyone, including the staff, the players and the country. I’m exhausted, but it’s all worth it.”
Wuhan goalscorer Wang also paid tribute to ASFAR’s spirit.
“The Moroccans showed tremendous resilience,” she said. “After rallying to secure the win, they fully deserve today’s result, and we wish them the best of luck.”
Mohammed Amine Alioua’s charges now face a daunting task if they want to add to their historic achievements, namely overcoming European champions Arsenal on their home turf in London on 28 January.
However, none of this seems to bother the African champions, who all delivered the same message after their victory over Wuhan.
“Of course, it’s a high-profile international fixture, but our pre-match preparations will be no different from any other game,” said Mssoudy. “We’ll analyse our opponent, their strengths, their weaknesses, and figure out ways to disrupt their game. We’ll listen to what the coaches have to say and go from there.”
“I think Arsenal is a massive club,” added Badri. “That said, it’s just a football match, and we’ll do everything we can to beat them.”
“I’m over the moon that we’re heading to London for the final phase of this inaugural competition,” summed up Lahmari. “It’s brilliant that we’ll be the first African country to do this. It will go down in history forever.”
