Morocco on Sunday battered the Super Eagles of Nigeria 4-0 in the final of the 2018 African Nations Championship at the Stade Mohamed V, Casablanca.
Two goals from Hadraf and one each from El Karti and tournament top scorer Ayoub El Kaabi gave the hosts their first title of the competition exclusively for players plying their trade in their country’s domestic leagues.
The Eagles finished the match with 10 men after Moses Eneji was sent off in the 48th minute for a second bookable offence. It was Eneji’s first match of the tournament.
The Atlas Lions dominated the match from the first minute, pressurising the Eagles’ defence with several marauding runs down the flanks.
Their first chance came in the fourth minute when El Kaabi sent his shot off target. El Kaabi converted from a corner kick but his effort was ruled out for a goal kick by referee Bakary Gassama for an infringement.
El Kaabi struck the bar in the 15th minute with an acrobatic kick after he was played on with a cross from the flanks. Hadraf got the first goal in the 44th minute when El Haddad beat Osas Okoro and crossed to the winger who struck past Dele Ajiboye.
The second half went sour for the Eagles after Eneji was sent off for a second bookable offence. Morocco doubled their lead in the 61st minute when El Karti headed home after Ajiboye had punched a cross out.
The Eagles, who finished third at the 2014 edition of the tournament in South Africa, were outclassed and Morocco got their third two minutes later when Hadraf struck home after he was left unmarked in the goal area. El Kaabi completed the rout in the 73rd minute after another defensive error by the Eagles.
Sudan at Stade de Marrakech in Marrakech on Saturday defeated 2014 champions Libya 4-2 in a penalty shootout to win bronze.
Credit: Punch
