Morocco secured a 3-0 victory over Zambia at the Africa Cup of Nations on Monday, advancing to the last 16 as winners of their group. Ayoub El Kaabi scored twice, with Real Madrid’s Brahim Diaz netting the other goal, as the hosts dominated in front of 62,532 fans at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat.
The win marked a strong rebound for Morocco, who had seen their 19-match winning run come to an end in a 1-1 draw with Mali in their previous match. El Kaabi’s goals, one in each half, helped the Atlas Lions finish the first round with two wins and a draw, earning seven points and first place in Group A. Mali finished second after a third straight draw, 0-0 against Comoros.
Morocco’s victory was fueled by a strong team performance, with Azzedine Ounahi providing key assists for two of the goals. The hosts took the lead just nine minutes into the match, with El Kaabi nodding in a corner from the right. Diaz added the second goal before the half-hour mark, sweeping home a low ball from Abde Ezzalzouli. El Kaabi sealed the win with an overhead kick six minutes after half-time, which was initially ruled out for offside before being awarded after a VAR check.
The match also saw the return of captain Achraf Hakimi, who came on as a second-half substitute for his first appearance since suffering an ankle injury in early November. Hakimi’s presence was met with a huge cheer from the crowd, and he was only prevented from getting on the scoresheet by a good save from Zambia’s Willard Mwanza late on.
With their victory, Morocco will stay in Rabat for a last-16 clash against one of the best third-placed finishers on January 4. The Atlas Lions, ranked as Africa’s best side according to the FIFA rankings, will look to continue their strong form in the knockout phase. Zambia, meanwhile, will exit the tournament after failing to secure a win in their last group game, a tough task for a country without a single AFCON victory since lifting the trophy in 2012.
