Morocco secured qualification for the Round of 16 of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) after a commanding 3-0 victory over Zambia in their final Group A match, played on Monday evening at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Sports Complex. The tournament is being hosted by Morocco and runs until January 18.
Ayoub El Kaabi opened the scoring early for Morocco in the ninth minute with a powerful header. Brahim Díaz doubled the lead in the 26th minute with a well-placed shot from inside the penalty area. El Kaabi then completed his brace in the 50th minute, scoring Morocco’s third goal with a spectacular bicycle kick to seal the emphatic win.
Morocco had begun their AFCON campaign with a 2-0 victory over Comoros in the opening round, before drawing 1-1 with Mali in the second match. The win over Zambia lifted Morocco’s tally to seven points, allowing them to finish top of Group A and advance confidently to the knockout stage.
Zambia, meanwhile, were eliminated from the tournament after finishing bottom of the group with two points. They had drawn 1-1 with Mali in the first round and played out a goalless draw against Comoros in the second, before suffering defeat against Morocco in the decisive final match.
In the other Group A fixture, Mali booked their place in the Round of 16 after a goalless draw with Comoros on Monday evening at the Mohammed V Stadium. Both sides missed several chances throughout the 90 minutes, while Mali were reduced to ten men late in the match after Amadou Haidara was sent off in the 88th minute. The match ended scoreless, with each team earning one point.
Mali had previously drawn 1-1 with Zambia in the first round and recorded the same result against Morocco in the second. They finished second in Group A with three points, securing qualification for the knockout phase.
Comoros, on the other hand, lost 2-0 to Morocco in their opening match, drew goallessly with Zambia in the second round, and then shared the points with Mali in the final group game. They finished third with two points, level with Zambia but ahead on goal difference, and now await a slim chance of qualifying for the Round of 16 as one of the best third-placed teams.
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