CHAN 2018: El Kaabi and Saidi send Morocco to semis

Published on: 28 January 2018

Top scorer Ayoub El Kaabi continued his goal scoring form for Morocco with a goal as the host beat Namibia 2-0 on Saturday in Casablanca to reach the last four.

The lanky forward broke the deadlock nine minutes before the break when he latched on to Walid El Karti's first time pass to beat the Loydt Kazapua in the Namibian goal.

But it was the Brave Warriors who first came close to opening the score from a set piece after six minutes but Itamuna Keimuine's cross just about missed Ilmbondi at the back post.

Jamal Sellami's charges took control of proceedings knocking the ball around trying to open the Namibian defence. El Haddad was found free on the left channel finding Achraf Bencharki who could not hit the target after nine minutes.

Winger El Haddad was a threat in attack for the host as he played a one two with Man of the Match Salaheddine Saidi who played in full back Mohammed Nahiri outside the area but his effort went wide.

Kazapua produced brilliant save to deny captain Badr Benoun's glancing header on 15 minutes from El Haddad's corner. Badr Benoun's earial prowess was again at play on the half hour mark but he headed Bencharki's cross off target.

Anas Zniti was called to action on 35 minutes as Namibia who rarely caused problems going forward managed to go past the solid Morocco defence, Ilmbondi releasing a cracking effort which the keeper gathered.

El Kaabi sent the home crowd wild went he latched on to El Karti's pass to beat Kazapua and thighten his grid on the scoring chat with his sixth of the tournament.

Morocco returned from the break much determined to secure victory with El Kaabi heading the busy Nahiri's cross over the goal.

Salaheddine Saidi made sure of victory with a clinical glancing header past the helpless Kazapua from a corner ten minutes into the second half.

Wydad forward Bencharki found space in the area after Namibia failed to clear a corner beating a couple of challenges before firing over.

Nahiri smashed the Namibian cross bar from a set piece late on as Morocco advance to the semis.

 

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