In another success, Morocco wins Arab Football Cup as it prepares to host African nations tournament
Morocco defeated Jordan 3-2 after extra time to claim the Arab Cup on Thursday thanks to two goals from Abderrazzaq Hamed Allah following a stunning long-range strike from Oussama Tannane.
Morocco clinched another success on Thursday despite missing several Europe-based players ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations.
It was the first African and Arab nation to reach the semi-finals of a World Cup, also in Qatar three years ago.
Morocco were crowned Under-20 world champions in October when they beat Argentina 2-0 in the final to become the first Arab nation to lift the trophy.
The under-17 side reached the World Cup quarter-finals, while the under-23 team won the Africa Cup of Nations and a place at the Paris 2024 Olympics, where they took bronze.
The Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) begins in Morocco this weekend, with the hosts desperate to get their hands on the trophy. The event will continue from December 21 to January 18. Morocco must be seen as favourites as they prepare to open the competition against island minnows Comoros on Sunday at the new 69,000-seat Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat.
World Cup semi-finalists in 2022, the Atlas Lions are Africa’s best team in the FIFA rankings in 11th place and have enjoyed a world-record run of 18 consecutive victories heading into the tournament.
But the pressure is on a country that has only ever won one Cup of Nations, in 1976, when it was an eight-team competition held in Ethiopia.
Morocco will be showcasing some world-class stadiums as it hosts the Cup of Nations for the first time since 1988.
The Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, which will also be the venue for the final, is one of four being used in Rabat.
A huge 75,000-seat stadium in Tangier will host a semi-final, while games will also be played in Casablanca, Marrakech, Agadir and Fez as the country builds towards the 2030 World Cup which it will co-host with Spain and Portugal.
“We have to win the Cup of Nations,” said coach Walid Regragui at a last press conference last month.
The hosts face Mali on December 26 and Zambia three days later. All the matches will be at Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat.
Mali is likely to pose the greatest threat, but it is difficult to imagine Morocco not finishing among the top two teams and automatically qualifying for the knockout phase.
The round of 16 is set for four days from January 3 and that may be when Morocco hope Madrid-born star footballer Achraf Hakimi will be available after recovering from injury.
Morocco’s co-hosting of the 2030 World Cup with Portugal and Spain means that this year the Cup of Nations benefits from nine stadiums in six cities, a first for the African championship.
