Morocco booked a spot in the quarter-finals of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations after beating Malawi 2-1 in the Round of 16 at Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium in Cameroon on Tuesday night.
Resulting from the victory, Vahid Halilodzic’s troops will now face 2019 runners-up Senegal in the quarter-finals as they defeated Cape Verde earlier in the day.
Morocco dominated proceedings in the early exchanges, although they failed to create any clear cut openings, while Malawi were restricted to efforts from range.
The Flames eventually broke the deadlock in the seventh minute when Gabadinho Mhango finished off a well-worked passing move with a low effort from the edge of the area.
Malawi goalkeeper Charles Thom was at his best in the tenth minute, making an acrobatic save to tip a long-range free-kick from Achraf Hakimi onto the crossbar.
The next decent effort on goal only came on the 20th minute mark when Imran Louza met a Hakimi cross into the box, but his header went inches wide of the target from 12-yards out.
Mhango nearly doubled Malawi lead two minutes later but his powerful volley from the edge of the area missed the right.
Morocco first real threat on goal only came in the 37th minute when Sofiane Boufal tried his luck from long-range, but goalkeeper Thom make a good save to deny him.
The Atlas Lions hit back two minutes before the break when Selim Amallah spilt a cross into the path of Youssef En-Nesyri who headed the ball home from close-range despite the efforts of Thom to hold the ball, 1-1.
Sofiane Boufal nearly doubled Morocco’s lead five minutes into the second half, but his stinging 24-yard shot shaved the wrong side of the post.
In the 58th minute Adam Masina was in the thick of the action and almost struck the woodwork of the Flames’ goal with a shot from the edge of the box.
Mhango was presented with another chance to extend the home side’s advantage in the 62nd minute but his effort sailed well wide of the target.
Morocco sealed their win on the 70th minute when Achraf Hakimi whipped a free-kick into the top-left corner of the net from all of 25 yards out.
Malawi threw numbers forward after that in search of an equaliser, but the Atlas Lions defence held firm to pick up the win to book last eight spot.
Lineups:
Morocco: Yassin Bounou – Ashraf Hakimi, Aguerd, Romain Saiss, Adam Messina – Louza, Selim Amallah, Sofian Amrabat, Sofiane Bouffal – Ayoub El Kaabi, Youssef En-Nesyri
Malawi: Thomu – Sanudi, Chaziya, Chembezi, Chirwa – Mhone (Gerald Phiri Junior 45), Banda, Idana, Madinga – Muyaba, Mhango
