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Rabat – Morocco kicked off their 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) campaign with a resounding 3-0 victory over Tanzania, and the international media has not held back in commending the Atlas Lions for their stellar performance.
BBC Sports highlighted Morocco’s transition from a counter-attacking style in the 2022 Qatar World Cup to a more proactive approach. “Pre-tournament favourites Morocco began their 2023 Africa Cup of Nations campaign with a convincing win over 10-man Tanzania in Group F,” said the BBC.
Al Jazeera echoed Morocco’s status as pre-tournament favorites, emphasizing their “impressive” performance in their 3-0 victory over Tanzania. The report noted that Morocco underlined their dominance in Group F and commenced their AFCON campaign on a high note.
Delving into the match dynamics, the Guardian noted that the game took a decisive turn in Morocco’s favor after Tanzania’s Novatus Miroshi received a red card in the 70th minute of the match.
“Novatus Miroshi’s reckless second yellow opened the floodgates for the Atlas Lions, who made no mistake in punishing their opponents with quickfire late goals from Azzeddine Ounahi and Youssef En Nesyri,” the report said.
The report highlighted “standout” performances from Ounahi Nesyri, saying that his goal was a “genuine delight.” However, the Guardian predicts “tougher tests” ahead for Morocco despite the “routine victory.”
Meanwhile, France 24 said that Morocco’s victory over Tanzania was highly anticipated, emphasizing the stark difference in FIFA rankings, with Morocco ranking 13th worldwide, 108 places above Tanzania.
Le Monde praised Morocco’s “perfect entry” into the continental tournament despite a “tricky” Tanzanian selection. The French outlet stressed that “the Atlas Lions have started the competition in the best possible way.”
In addition, French sports outlet L’Equipe acknowledged Morocco’s “clear domination” over Tanzania in their AFCON opener, emphasizing their status as World Cup semi-finalists and their impressive 3-0 win.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) highlighted Morocco’s “total dominance” from the start, acknowledging their control of the game and ability to create numerous goal-scoring opportunities.
Thanks to their stellar start, Morocco is leading Group F with three points. Following yesterday’s game, the national team will lock horns with DR Congo on January 21 and Zambia on January 24.
Morocco has firmly established itself as a football powerhouse, leading African countries in the FIFA ranking and capturing global attention following their remarkable performance in the 2022 Qatar World Cup.
The Atlas Lions made history as the first Arab and African team to reach the semifinals of the global tournament, putting the country in the football spotlight.
As the current African leaders in the FIFA ranking, expectations are high for Morocco to continue their impressive form for the remainder of the tournament.
