NOS Football•
Morocco continues as group winner at the Africa Cup. The host country was much too strong for Zambia on Monday evening in Rabat, thanks to two goals from bicycle kick specialist Ayoub El Kaabi: 3-0.
The Olympiakos attacker set the Prince Moulay Abdellah stadium on fire during his 3-0 victory by scoring again with a bicycle kick. El Kaabi also did this in Morocco’s first group match against the Comoros.
Disappointing draw
National coach Walid Regragui therefore intervened and left, among others, PSV defender Anass Salah-Eddine and former Feyenoord and FC Utrecht player and Sofyan Amrabat on the bench. The pair received a starting place in the previous two group matches.
Feyenoord player Oussama Targhalline also started on the bench. PSV player Ismael Saibari and former Ajax player Noussair Mazraoui were given a starting place again.
In any case, the conversions were good for Morocco’s football, which played with more depth. El Kaabi opened the score against a tame Zambia after nine minutes on a pass from Azzedine Ounahi, which immediately put Morocco in a flow.
Brahim Diaz made it 2-0 in the 27th minute after a nice Moroccan attack. The Real Madrid attacker also scored in the previous two group matches.
Morocco continued to play good football in the second half and made it 3-0 after fifty minutes thanks to El Kaabi, who was able to score again thanks to a cross from Ounahi. El Kaabi didn’t think twice when he got into position to shoot with a bicycle kick.
The referee initially disallowed the feat due to offside, but the video referee approved the goal moments later.
Rentree Hakimi
The Moroccan celebration was completed when star player Achraf Hakimi made his long-awaited return in the 64th minute after recovering from an ankle injury.
It is still unclear which opponent Morocco will meet in the eighth finals on Sunday, January 4. In any case, that will be the number three from group C, D or E.
