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Morocco dominated possession but Tanzania had opportunities, too, and it took a fine strike from Diaz to book a place in the last eight.

Captain Achraf Hakimi fed Diaz on the right side of the box on 64 minutes and the Real Madrid playmaker worked his way to the byline, before firing into the goal from a tight angle when most expected a cross.

Morocco wasted several other chances but was also fortunate that Tanzania was similarlywasteful, with Simon Msuva and Feisal Salum missing gilt-edged opportunities for the East African side with the score at 0-0.

It was a far from vintage performance from the home side, which has yet to click into top gear at the tournament but did enough to keep its campaign on track.

"The competition is hotting up and we faced our toughest opponent in this Tanzania team," Diaz said.

"Not everything worked, we know that, but fortunately we managed to secure our qualification [to the next round]. Now, we are going back to work to be fully ready for the quarter-finals."

Tanzania had an early opportunity when Msuva had an open goal to head into, but he could only steer his effort well wide.

Morocco had the ball in the back of the net from Ismael Saibari’s header from a free-kick, but he was narrowly offside.

Ayoub El Kaabi then headed wide for the home side when he should have done better, and followed that up with another missed opportunity from Hakimi’s delightful cross.

Tanzania should have been ahead on 55 minutes as home goalkeeper Yassine Bounou could only parry a long-range shot and the ball fell to Salum, who blasted over the crossbar from 10 metres with the goal gaping.

Hakimi then crashed a free kick against the frame of the goal, before Morocco finally scored to settle the nerves in Stade Moulay Abdellah.

Diaz scored for the fourth game in a row at the tournament, the first Moroccan to do so at an Africa Cup of Nations.