Brahim Diaz’s remarkable first-half performance, which included a stunning hat-trick, guided Morocco to a commanding 5-0 lead over Lesotho in their final Group stage match of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers.
The Atlas Lions wasted no time in asserting their dominance.
In the 5th minute, Diaz opened the scoring with a clinical finish, assisted by Azzedine Ounahi.
The Real Madrid forward doubled his tally just 10 minutes later in the 15th minute, showcasing his sharp instincts in front of goal.
Diaz completed his first-half hat-trick in the 42nd minute, with Soufiane Rahimi providing the assist for his third goal.
Rahimi himself then joined the goal-scoring party.
In the 37th minute, he netted Morocco’s fourth goal with a powerful strike, and just before the break, in stoppage time, he added a second from the penalty spot to make it 5-0.
Morocco’s dominance in the first half was a clear display of their strength, as they looked set to secure a perfect qualification record.
The team’s attacking play was fluid and clinical, with Diaz and Rahimi pulling the strings up front.
Lesotho struggled to contain Morocco’s relentless pressure and were unable to create any significant chances in the opening 45 minutes.
With the match now effectively out of reach for the Likuena, Morocco is on the verge of completing a perfect qualification campaign.
As the second half gets underway, Morocco remains firmly in control, poised to seal their place in the 2025 AFCON tournament in Morocco.
