Not many Tanzanians will want to remember their team’s bow at their third appearance at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), as they were served a 3-0 defeat by Morocco.

Morocco, ranked first in Africa and 13th globally by FIFA, wielded their prowess against Tanzania, scoring in both halves and taking charge of Group F as matchday one concluded.

The Atlas Lions, who reached the semifinals of the 2022 World Cup finals in Qatar, seized the lead through center-back Romain Saiss at the half-hour mark, setting the stage for an emphatic victory at the Laurent Pokou Stadium in San Pedro.

Azedine Ounahi (77) and Youssef En-Nesyri (80) found the target shortly after Taifa Stars of Tanzania were reduced to ten men, with Novatus Miroshi being sent off in the 70th minute for a second bookable offense.

Another reason why Tanzanians may not want to remember their team’s performance in Ivory Coast is that they finished the match with only one shot — and it was off target. No shot on target for 90 minutes.

The loss has Tanzania bottom of Group F. They next face Zambia on Sunday, January 21 before winding up their group stage campaign against DR Congo on Wednesday, January 24.

No win and ever-bottom of table for Tanzania at AFCON finals

Before the 3-0 loss to Morocco, Tanzania had played six matches at the continental showpiece. Of the six, they have managed a draw (in 1980) and lost a whopping five. A win is still a mirage.

In both editions, 1980 and 2019, the East African nation finished bottom of the group. The 1980 edition, hosted and won by Nigeria, had only eight participants placed in two groups.

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Tanzania was in Group A against the hosts, Egypt, and Ivory Coast. It lost 3-1 against Nigeria in the opener and lost 2-1 to Egypt before pulling off a 1-1 draw against Ivory Coast as they crashed out as the bottom-placed team.

In the 2019 edition, held in Egypt and won by Algeria, the story was almost the same, if not worse. Tanzania were in Group C alongside neighbours Kenya and finalists Senegal and Nigeria.

The Tanzanians lost to Senegal 2-0, Kenya 3-2, and Algeria 3-0, crashing out as the bottom-placed team.