Ayoub El Kaabi scored twice as hosts Morocco eased to a 3-0 victory over Zambia at the Africa Cup of Nations on Monday to secure progress to the last 16 as winners of their group. The Olympiakos striker netted in each half in front of 62,532 fans in the capital Rabat, while Real Madrid’s Brahim Diaz got the other goal as he scored for the third match running at the tournament.
Morocco finished the first round with two wins and a draw, allowing them to progress from Group A in first place with seven points. Mali finished second after a third straight draw, 0-0 against Comoros in a game they ended with 10 men, while Zambia went out. Walid Regragui’s Moroccan side will therefore have the advantage of staying in Rabat for a last-16 clash against one of the best third-placed finishers on Sunday, January 4.
“I think the competition really begins now,” said Regragui. “When you have four third-placed teams going through, I don’t think you can call the first round a warm-up lap but for us it just makes it about trying to make sure we get through to the next stage in the best possible shape.