Morocco moved into the Last 16 of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations after beating Comoros 2-0 in a Group C match at the Stade Ahmadou Ahidjo in Yaoundé on Friday night.
Goals from Selim Amallah and Zakaria Aboukhlal clinched the three points for the Atlas Lions who had beaten Ghana 1-0 in the opening match.
The game started in a lively fashion, with both sides moving the ball around nice and quick, while Comoros’Youssouf M’Changama went close with a long range effort that sailed just wide of the upright.
Morocco got the first opportunity of the match when Tarik Tissoudali found space in the opposition box but his header flew over the crossbar.
It was a tug of war thereafter as both teams looked to take control of the game. The Atlas Lions was growing in confidence and were playing enterprising football in trying to unlock the defence of Coelacanths.
Morocco took the lead on the 16th minute through a well-taken goal from Standard Liege midfielder Amallah in a crowded box.
Ayoub El Kaabi came close to extending the North Africans lead in the 34th minute, as his strike from the edge of the area sailed inches wide of the upright.
Vahid Halilhodzic’s men got stringer as the half went on, with Romain Saiss and Selim Amallah pulling the strings in the midfield.
Comoros keeper Salim Ben Boina put in a hugely impressive display and denied Amallah his second in the closing stages of the first stanza.
The Islanders almost found an equalizer just before the halftime break, Maluleka’s close range effort forced Yassine Bounou into fine save.
Sofyan Amrabat should have added Morocco advantage in the 55th minute, the winger played a neat one-two with Achraf Hakimi before firing a tame effort at Ben Boina from close range.
Hakimi also missed an opportunity 60th minute as his hot failed to trouble to trouble Ben Boina form 12-yards out.
Opportunities were few and far between as Comoros did well to retain the ball with Morocco struggling.
Morocco then got a penalty ten minutes before time after Ben Boina brought down Aboukhlal, but he saved En-Nesyri’s subsequent penalty.
Comoros conceded the second goal in the 89th minute courtesy of former Southampton man Soufiane Boufal who tapped home from close range to secure the win for the Atlas Lions.
How they lined up:
Morocco: Yassine Bounou – Nalf Aguerd, Sofyan Amrabat, Adam Masina, Achraf Hakimi – Imran Louza (Zakaria Aboukhlal 65), Romain Saiss, Selim Amallah (Azzedine Ounahi 89), Sofiane Boufal (Munir El Haddadi 76), Tarik Tissoudali (Faycal Fajr 65) – Ayoub El Kaabi (Youssef En-Nesyri 65)
Comoros: Salim Ben Boina – Benjaloud Youssouf (Younn Zahary 65), Rafidine Abdullah (Yacine Bourhane 59), Nadjim Abdou, Mohamed Youssouf, Kassim M’Dahoma – Faiz Selemani, Said Bakari, Youssouf M’Changama – El Fardou Ben Nabouhane, Fouad Bachirou
