Rabat – The Moroccan national football team of local-based players failed to secure early qualification for the quarter-finals of the 2021 African Nations Championship (CHAN) after a 0-0 draw against Rwanda.
The game took place today, January 22, at the Stade de la Reunification in Doula, Cameroon, as part of the second round of the 2021 CHAN group stage.
Despite having over 60% of ball possession throughout the game, Morocco was unable to translate its game control to a win.
Today’s draw means Morocco will have to wait until the third round of the group stage to secure a spot among the eight finalists of the continental competition.
Having won its first game against Togo, the Moroccan team is still leading Group C of the 2021 CHAN, with four points.
Rwanda comes second with two points, Uganda third with only one point, and Togo last with zero. Uganda and Togo, however, are yet to play their second game of the tournament later this evening. If Uganda wins, it will tie with Morocco in first position.
Morocco’s draw against Rwanda is a minor setback that the national team will have to overcome in the third game against Uganda if they want to reach their objective to defend their CHAN title.
In 2018, Morocco won the continental trophy after a remarkable performance that culminated in a 4-0 win over Nigeria in the final game of the competition.
This year, the Moroccan team flew to Cameroon, the host country of the tournament, with only one objective in sight: Defending their title.
The Moroccan squad hopes to become the first team to win the tournament twice in a row.
Read also: 2021 CHAN: Morocco Begins Title Defense With 1-0 Win Against Togo
