Sanaa Mssoudy's 84th-minute winner was enough to secure a 1-0 victory for Women's Africa Cup of Nations hosts Morocco against fierce rivals Algeria, as they move to the brink of the WAFCON knockout stages.
The Atlas Lionesses' narrow victory at the Prince Moulay Hassan Stadium in Rabat on Thursday keeps them in top spot in Group A on six points, and they'll guarantee progression if they avoid defeat by Senegal in Rabat on Monday.
Algeria will also progress if they beat Kenya in their final group game in the Moroccan capital, while a draw would also be enough if Senegal fail to take maximum points from the Atlas Lionesses.
Kenya followed up their opening 4-0 defeat by the hosts by falling 1-0 to Senegal in the day's earlier kick-off, with Seynabou Mbengue scoring the only goal of the game, to leave them at the bottom of the group.
The Atlas Lionesses left it late to dispatch neighbours Algeria in the North Africa derby, with Mssoudy tearing in behind the defence to meet a half-volleyed through ball from Hanane Aït El Haj - again outstanding - after Algeria failed to truly clear their lines from a corner.
The indefatigable AS FAR forward controlled the ball with her left and then beat the onrushing Chloe N'Gazi with a right-footed finish six minutes from time to secure all three points.
This was the first time N'Gazi had been breached in six WAFCON games, with Algeria not conceding at the tournament since 2018. That run without conceding may have ended, but Algeria held their own against one of the tournament favourites during an intense, physical encounter, even if it was a collision with limited goalmouth action.
Inès Belloumou tested Khadija Er-Rmichi from range with a fairly speculative effort just after the half-hour mark, but it was only the inventive Melissa Bethi who threatened to offer a spark for the Fennecs.
While Algeria clearly have the tactical quality and the physicality to justify their status as one of the continent's emerging forces, a lack of genuine cutting edge may yet come back to haunt them.
Élodie Nakkach's second-half volley - landing in the hands of N'Gazi - was Morocco's clearest attempt after the break until the Algeria keeper was forced to deny Mssoudy's header after she met a lovely free kick from captain Ghizlane Chebbak, a 70th-minute substitute, although Algeria largely dealt with a swathe of promising Moroccan set pieces.
In the day's earlier kick-off, Senegal made hard work of a Kenya team much improved after their opening 4-0 mauling by Morocco, but still secured the win via Mbengue's 35th-minute goal.
Onrushing, she fired home after being picked out by Ndeye Awa Casset's unselfish squared ball after Sokhna Pene had pierced the Kenyan defence with a menacing ball over the top.
Unlike in their opener, when heads dropped after falling behind, the Harambee Starlets strengthened their resolve, and Terry Enmesh forced a stop from young Adji Ndiaye late in the first half as she held off a defender.
Nonetheless, Senegal held on to bounce back from their opening defeat by Algeria, although they still face the ominous prospect of Morocco in Rabat on August 3 as they look to reach the knockouts.
