Morocco booked their place in the next stage of the Africa Cup of Nations in emphatic fashion after a commanding 3–0 victory over Zambia in their final Group A match, bringing an end to the Chipolopolo’s campaign.
The Atlas Lions wasted little time in asserting their dominance, opening the scoring as early as the 9th minute through Ayoub El Kaabi, who clinically finished off a well-worked move assisted by Azzedine Ounahi. Morocco continued to control proceedings and doubled their advantage in the 27th minute when Brahim Díaz found the net, capitalizing on Zambia’s defensive lapses.
Zambia struggled to respond and were largely second best in midfield and attack, unable to turn possession into clear-cut chances. Any hopes of a comeback after the break were extinguished in the 50th minute when El Kaabi struck again, completing his brace to put the result beyond doubt.
The win confirmed Morocco’s progression to the knockout phase, underlining their status as one of the tournament’s strongest contenders with a composed and efficient group-stage performance.
For Zambia, the defeat marked a disappointing end to their AFCON journey. The Chipolopolo managed just two points from a possible nine, recording two draws and one loss in the group stage. Despite moments of resilience earlier in the group, they ultimately fell short of the level required to advance.
As Morocco march on with confidence and momentum, Zambia will head home reflecting on a campaign that promised much but delivered too little when it mattered most.