Pre-tournament favorites Morocco defeated 10-man Tanzania 3-0 in Group F to start their 2023 Africa Cup of Nations campaign.
Romain Saiss scored for the Atlas Lions in the thirty-first minute after Hakim Ziyech’s looping free-kick was diverted back into the danger zone.
With twenty minutes remaining, Tanzania was dealt a further blow when Novatus Miroshi was sent off, and Azzedine Ounahi finished with style to extend the lead. The victory was sealed by Youssef En-Nesyri’s conversion of Achraf Hakimi’s cross.
Morocco, who won their last continental championship in 1976, is regarded as a serious contender for the trophy in Ivory Coast following their incredible World Cup run in 2022 that saw them go to the semifinals.
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Walid Regregui’s top-ranked African team has to take an aggressive stance against lower-ranked opponents after showcasing a counter-attacking style in their victories against Belgium, Spain, and Portugal in Qatar.
The Atlas Lions successfully adopted an aggressive position in the first game at San Pedro, making goalkeeper Bono a mere spectator. Saiss opened the scoring thanks to a free-kick from Ziyech, and the former Chelsea winger kept up the pressure with a curling shot just before halftime.
Tanzania,still in pursuit of their first victory in their third Afcon appearance, struggled to find rhythm, and their challenge became more daunting with Miroshi’s dismissal.
All four teams in Group F will be back in action on Sunday.