Many international and African media outlets highlighted the remarkable performance and positive result achieved by the Moroccan national team in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, after their deserved 2-0 victory over the Gabonese team. This match, the first appearance of the Atlas Lions following their recent participation in the 2026 World Cup finals, demonstrated the team’s ability to secure all three points despite the absence of some key players, reflecting the technical and tactical depth possessed by the team. Media reports praised the fighting spirit and cohesion displayed by the players, affirming their readiness for upcoming continental competitions.
Among the entities that closely followed the match, global press reports dedicated special coverage to Morocco’s victory, praising Nasser Mazraoui’s goal which opened the scoring at the 36th minute, before Sofyan Rahimi secured the win with a second goal in the 84th minute. The reports also noted Morocco’s position at the top of the group, tied with Niger after the first round, awaiting the anticipated match against Lesotho. In France, press coverage of Morocco’s victory commented that the national team started the qualifiers strongly, highlighting the decisive saves by goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, especially when Gabon attempted a comeback in the final minutes of the game.
Similarly, Spanish press reports focused on what they called the “old guard”, noting that the winning goals were scored by Mazraoui and Rahimi. The reports praised coach Mohamed Wahbi’s tactical choices and his reliance on a group of young faces to compensate for the absence of prominent players like Ibrahim Diaz and Achraf Hakimi. This approach affirms a policy of refreshing the team’s lineup, ensuring continued strong performance and high-level competition. Global media networks followed Morocco’s successful start in the qualifiers, emphasizing the pivotal role of Yassine Bounou in keeping a clean sheet, especially his crucial interventions against Gabon’s dangerous attempts.
The positive reactions were not limited to the media; Gabon’s coach, Sébastien Migné, acknowledged the difficulty of facing Morocco in the Africa Cup qualifiers and praised the excellent level displayed by the Atlas Lions, confirming that the team performed at a high standard across all lines. Press reports also recognized Morocco’s dominance in the match, noting their possession was nearly 65 percent, with Mazraoui opening the scoring followed by Rahimi adding the second goal. They also praised the saves made by Bounou against Gabon’s players’ attempts.
The Moroccan national team is preparing to face Lesotho next Tuesday, September 30, 2026, at 1:00 PM GMT, in their second test in the qualifying journey for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations finals. The Atlas Lions hope to continue their winning streak and strengthen their position at the top of the group, which will boost fans’ confidence in the Moroccan team’s ability to achieve new accomplishments in the continental tournament.
