The Moroccan national team has secured its spot in the Round of 16 at the African Cup of Nations, regardless of the outcome of tonight’s match against Zambia in the final group stage fixture.
While the “Atlas Lions” are assured of progression, they aim to clinch the top spot in their group to avoid a challenging encounter in the next round.
Morocco commenced its journey in Group Six with a commanding victory over Tanzania before stumbling to a 1-1 draw against the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the second round.
At present, Morocco tops Group Six with four points. Even in the worst-case scenario, the team is guaranteed to advance as one of the top four teams finishing third in their respective groups.
This assurance comes after Ivory Coast suffered a 0-4 defeat against Equatorial Guinea (three points in Group One), and Ghana drew 2-2 against Mozambique (two points in Group Two).
“Atlas Lions” lead Zambia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo by a two-point margin, while Tanzania resides at the bottom of the table with one point.
Despite already securing qualification, Morocco aspires to defeat Zambia and claim the top spot in Group Six to avoid facing formidable opponents in the Round of 16.
If Morocco finishes as the runner-up in the group, they might face Egypt, who is likely to finish second in Group Four.
Alternatively, if Morocco secures the third position, they will face the winner of Group Four, which could be Angola or Senegal, depending on the points of the third-placed teams in other groups.
The Moroccan national team is determined to secure a victory, aiming to top Group Six and potentially face the runner-up of Group Five, which includes Tunisia, South Africa, Namibia, and Mali.
