Ayoub El Kaabi scored twice as hosts Morocco eased to a 3-0 victory over Zambia on the Africa Cup of Nations on Monday to safe progress to the final 16 as winners of their group.
The Olympiakos striker netted in every half in entrance of 62,532 followers on the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium within the capital Rabat, whereas Actual Madrid’s Brahim Diaz obtained the opposite aim as he scored for the third match working on the match.
Morocco completed the primary spherical with two wins and a draw, permitting them to progress from Group A in first place with seven factors. Mali completed second after a 3rd straight draw, 0-0 in opposition to Comoros.
Walid Regragui’s Moroccan aspect will due to this fact have the benefit of staying in Rabat for a last-16 conflict in opposition to top-of-the-line third-placed finishers on Sunday, January 4.
A snug night for the host nation additionally noticed captain Achraf Hakimi, the African participant of the yr, come on as a second-half substitute for his first look since struggling an ankle damage in motion for Paris Saint-Germain in early November.
The Atlas Lions had seen their world document 19-match profitable run come to an finish in a 1-1 draw with Mali final day trip, however bounced again from that by outclassing their Zambian opponents.
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Morocco are Africa’s finest aspect in accordance with the FIFA rankings and lie 80 locations above Zambia who’re 91st. Their record-winning run included victories at dwelling and away in opposition to the Copper Bullets throughout World Cup qualifying.
The guests have been additionally within the unenviable place of needing to win their final group recreation to make sure of going by to the knockout section — a tricky job for a rustic and not using a single AFCON victory since lifting the trophy in 2012.
Morocco went forward with simply 9 minutes on the clock when a nook from the proper was performed quick to Azzedine Ounahi, and he clipped a first-time ball to the again put up, the place El Kaabi nodded in earlier than working away, overlaying his face in celebration.
An excellent transfer led to the second aim simply earlier than the half-hour mark, with Ounahi’s unbelievable cross in behind the Zambian defence releasing Abde Ezzalzouli. His low ball in from the left was missed by El Kaabi however Diaz swept dwelling for a 3rd aim in as many matches.
Morocco made it 3-0 six minutes after half-time as El Kaabi escaped the Zambian offside lure and met one other help from the sensible Ounahi with an overhead kick.
The aim was initially dominated out for offside earlier than being awarded after a VAR examine, permitting El Kaabi to affix Diaz and Algeria’s Riyad Mahrez on three objectives atop the AFCON scorers’ chart.
An enormous cheer then greeted Hakimi when he got here on within the sixty fourth minute instead of Noussair Mazraoui for his first look of the match — he was solely prevented from getting on the scoresheet by a very good Willard Mwanza save late on.
AFP
