Morocco Brush Nigeria Aside to Win CHAN 2018 By 4-0 At The Final
Morocco won the 2018 African Nations Championship on Sunday as they beat Nigeria 4-0 in Casablanca to become the first host nation to lift the title.
Goals from Walid El Karti, Ayoub El Kaabi and a double from Zakaria Hadraf did the damage, with Nigeria reduced to 10 men early in the second half after Otekpa Eneji was sent off for a second bookable offence.
The game at the Stade Mohamed V kicked off in wet conditions, making for a greasy playing surface, Hosts Morocco thought they had got off to the perfect start on 10 minutes as Ayoub El Kaabi headed Ismail Haddad’s corner home, but it was chalked off as the ball had curled out of play before reaching the forward.
Morocco then went close again as El Kaabi’s spectacular overhead kick hit the bar and flew out of play.
The hosts were having the better of the first half, but Nigeria did have sight of goal when a smart turn from Eneji allowed him to lay the ball off to Reuben Gabriel. His shot was blocked, though.
Morocco managed to get the goal their dominance deserved just before half-time. Badr Banoun surged out of defence and found left-back Abdeljalil Jbira on the overlap. He pulled the ball back to Hadraf to fire home the opener from 10 yards out.
Nigeria then suffered another blow early in the second half as Eneji was sent off for a second bookable offence after a foul on Mohamed Nahiri.
With a man advantage, Morocco had chances to extend their lead further as Nigeria goalkeeper Dele Ajiboye denied El Kaabi from a corner and the forward then put another header just wide.
However, Morocco’s dominance finally paid off just past the hour mark as they scored twice in three minutes to seal victory. El Karti grabbed the second as he headed home Jbira’s cross after El Kaabi had once again been denied by the woodwork.
Hadraf then scored his second of the match, powering home after Ajiboy could only get fingertips to Haddad’s cross.
There was still time for more goals, and the star of the tournament, El Kaabi, grabbed his ninth goal of the campaign from close range to seal victory and his place as top scorer.
Culled from bleacherReport
