AFCON 2023: Morocco secure comfortable win against 10-man Tanzania

Morocco, the pre-tournament favorites, kick off their 2023 Africa Cup of Nations journey with a dominant victory over a 10-man Tanzania in Group F.

The Atlas Lions seized the lead in the 30th minute, with Romain Saiss capitalizing on Hakim Ziyech’s bending free-kick that was parried back into a dangerous area.

Tanzania’s challenges increased when Novatus Miroshi received a red card with 20 minutes remaining, and Azzedine Ounahi extended the lead with a polished finish.

Youssef En-Nesyri completed the victory by converting Achraf Hakimi’s cross.

Morocco, who claimed their sole continental title in 1976, is considered a strong contender for the trophy in Ivory Coast, particularly after their historic run to the semi-finals at the 2022 World Cup, where they triumphed against teams like Belgium, Spain, and Portugal.

Now, as Africa’s top-ranked side, Walid Regregui’s team must adapt their strategy to play more aggressively against lower-ranked opponents.

The Atlas Lions comfortably accomplished this in their debut match in San Pedro, with goalkeeper Bono having minimal involvement as a spectator.

Hakim Ziyech’s free-kick created an opportunity for captain Saiss to open the scoring, and the ex-Chelsea winger’s curling attempt was deflected away before halftime.

Tanzania, making their third appearance at the Afcon finals and still seeking their inaugural victory, struggled to find a rhythm, and their challenge became more daunting after Miroshi’s dismissal.

Miroshi had received a booking for fouling Ounahi just outside the box in the first half, and he earned his second caution for another late sliding challenge on the Morocco midfielder.

The dynamic Ounahi contributed to the scoresheet with a controlled finish into the bottom left-hand corner following some fluid passing play. This ensured Morocco avoided a potential upset in a tournament that has already witnessed several surprises in the opening round of games.

In the other Group F match on Wednesday evening (20:00 GMT), former champions DR Congo and Zambia will face each other, with all four teams returning to action on Sunday.