The conclusion of the first-round matches in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations witnessed Morocco sending a resounding warning to its competitors with a convincing 3-0 victory over Tanzania.
Meanwhile, the Democratic Republic of the Congo drew 1-1 with Zambia.
Morocco’s national team, often referred to as the Lions of the Atlas, delivered a powerful statement of intent by securing a dominant win against Tanzania.
This victory solidifies their aspirations for continental glory, following their unprecedented achievement in the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
Morocco reached the semi-finals and claimed the fourth position, establishing itself as a force to be reckoned with in global football.
The triumph of the Atlas Lions served to uplift Arab spirits after other Arab teams faltered in the opening round, facing either defeats or draws.
Morocco stands as the sole Arab team to secure a victory in the initial group-stage matches. Egypt stumbled with a 2-2 draw against Mozambique, Algeria failed to maintain its lead against Angola, resulting in a 1-1 draw, and Tunisia suffered a defeat to Namibia with a scoreline of 0-1.
Additionally, Mauritania succumbed to Burkina Faso with a 0-1 loss.
In a notable turn of events, the Moroccan team’s success concluded a string of upsets for major teams in the first round.
Ivory Coast secured a 2-0 win over Guinea-Bissau, while Senegal triumphed convincingly with a 3-0 scoreline against Gambia.
The match between Morocco and Tanzania witnessed the Atlas Lions breaking the trend of top teams stumbling in the opening round, following Ivory Coast’s victory and Senegal’s dominant win over Gambia.
With Zambia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo ending their match in a draw, Zambia continues its winless streak since clinching the Africa Cup of Nations title in 2012 against Ivory Coast.
Notably, the Democratic Republic of the Congo failed to replicate the success of the copper bullets, similar to their handball counterparts, who defeated Zambia 40-21 in a concurrent match on the same day, showcasing an intriguing overlap between football and handball competitions.
Following the conclusion of the first round, Morocco tops Group Six’s table in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations with three points, while the Democratic Republic of the Congo stands second with one point.
Zambia holds the third position with a single point, and Tanzania trails at the bottom of the table with zero points.
