MENA Sports Wrap: Heartbreak for Morocco as they lose second consecutive WAFCON final

The Moroccan women's football team failed to win a second consecutive African Cup of Nations final on Saturday, losing to powerhouse Nigeria despite taking the lead in the first half.

Portuguese international Joao Felix surprised fans with a move to Saudi club Al Nassr despite tenures at some of Europe's leading teams.

Meanwhile, Tunisian swimming sensation Ahmed Jaouadi won his first major world title in Singapore, finishing the third-fastest ever in the men's 800 metres.

Morocco lose on home soil to Nigeria in WAFCON final

Morocco’s Atlas Lionesses were stunned by an impressive comeback from the Nigerian ladies during the final of the Women’s African Cup of Nations on Saturday.

Morocco, playing on home soil at Rabat’s 21,000-seat Stade Olympique, took the lead not once but twice after two goals scored by captain Ghizlane Chebbak and Sanaa Mssoudy.

Chebbak curled a shot from outside the box for a 13th-minute lead, and 11 minutes late,r Mssoudy added a second goal.

The second half, however, saw Nigeria dominate the Atlas Lionesses. Esther Okoronkwo sent goalkeeper Khadija Er-Rmichi the wrong way, leading to the successful conversion of a penalty kick in the 64th minute.

The goal lifted the spirits of increasingly assertive Nigeria, and they equalised seven minutes later when Okoronkwo turned creator with a pull-back that Ijamilusi pushed into the net from close range.

Morocco had a chance to take the lead again minutes later after VAR awarded a penalty kick in favour of the North African country. However, the decision was soon retracted, causing confusion on the pitch and among fans.

Substitute Joe Echegini scored the winner in the 88th with a right-footed shot from the centre of the area after a free kick by Okoronkwo, breaking Moroccan hearts.

Despite their loss, the Lionesses were received by King Mohammed VI on Tuesday during an event commemorating Throne Day in the North African kingdom. The Moroccan monarch awarded them medals and thanked them for their efforts in the competition.

Felix makes surprise move to Al Nassr

Portugal international Joao Felix is the latest high-profile footballer to sign for a Saudi Pro League team, having officially joined Al Nassr this week in a deal worth a reported ₤43.7 million.

Felix, who signed from Chelsea, inked a two-year deal with the top Saudi club on Tuesday.

The 25-year-old will join fellow Portuguese Cristiano Ronaldo at the club, the Al Nassr captain who arguably kick-started a wave of European transfers to the Gulf kingdom’s football teams, since he himself signed in January 2023.

Felix moved from Benfica to Atletico Madrid in 2019 when he was only 19 and then joined Chelsea on loan for the 2022-2023 campaign before being loaned to Barcelona the following season. He made a permanent move to Chelsea in August 2024.

After just six months, Chelsea loaned the forward to Italy’s AC Milan before his latest transfer to Saudi Arabia.

Following the signing, Felix announced on social media: "I'm here to spread joy. Let's win together. Joao Felix is Nassrawi."

Felix's career trajectory, however, has raised questions among the sport's fans. Once dubbed a bright young talent and the "next big thing" after a sensational start at Benfica, the Portuguese international has often failed to shine on some of the high-profile teams he’s played for, scoring fewer than 10 goals a season for his respective side.

His multiple transfers have made him one of the most expensive footballers in history, with a total combined sum of ₤204 million, ranking him fourth.

His 2019 move to Atletico Madrid from Benfica still stands as the third most expensive transfer ever - in terms of initial fee - having cost the Madrid side £113m.

Critics say that Felix’s potential is what makes such clubs interested in the player, but he has never been able to fulfil it.

Jaouadi wins gold in Singapore after depression battle

Tunisian swimming sensation Ahmed Jaouadi won his first major swimming title on Wednesday, finishing first in the 800 metre freestyle during the 2025 FINA World Championships held in Singapore.

Jaouadi won his race with a perfectly timed attack, as he made his move midway through the race and eased away to touch the wall in 7min 36.88sec, ahead of German pair Sven Schwarz (7:39.96) and 400m champion Lukas Maertens (7:40.19).

The Tunisian, who finished fourth at last year's Paris Olympics, clocked the third-fastest time ever for the event.

Jaouadi’s victory was all the more impressive after suffering from a bout of depression following what he described as a disappointing end to his 2024 swimming season.

"Actually, it means a lot. It’s the third-best time ever… it feels great. Especially with this season. I didn’t go back to training until March. I didn’t have a lot of time to prepare for this. Especially after Budapest, I got into some kind of depression, and I wasn’t ready to go back to training at some point. It makes me really happy."

The 20-year-old made a splash in the swimming world last summer with a 4th-place finish in the 800 and a 6th-place finish in last year’s Summer Olympic Games, held in Paris.

Jaouadi had previously won titles in swimming short-course world championships and has tallied four medals, including gold, in the 2022 African championships.