Morocco produced their most convincing performance of the qualifying campaign on Friday 13 November, beating Niger 5-1 at the Complexe Mohammed V in Casablanca on matchday 3 of group A in the qualifiers for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations. Right-back Achraf Hakimi scored twice, including a free kick, as the Atlas Lions took their total to nine points from three matches.
What happened
The game was barely started when Morocco went ahead. In the 4th minute, Brahim Díaz found Yassir Zabiri, who finished to give the home side the lead and set the tone for the evening.
Niger held on until the middle of the first half, but Morocco kept pushing down the flanks. Hakimi doubled the lead in the 27th minute. Niger then pulled a goal back in the 41st minute — reports in the Moroccan and African press differ on the name of the scorer — but the visitors' hopes lasted only a few minutes: just before the break, in the 45th minute, Hakimi curled in a free kick to make it 3-1.
The second half was about control rather than urgency. Youssef En-Nesyri, back in the squad, scored in the 77th minute, and Ayoub Oufkir completed the scoring in the 90th minute with a goal on his first appearance for the senior national team.
According to Le360, Hakimi finished the night with two goals, one assist and five shots on target, the clearest sign of how often Morocco used the right side to break Niger's block.
The key figures
- Score: Morocco 5-1 Niger (3-1 at half-time)
- Morocco scorers: Zabiri (4'), Hakimi (27', 45'), En-Nesyri (77'), Oufkir (90')
- Venue: Complexe Mohammed V, Casablanca
- Group A after three matchdays: Morocco 9 points; Niger stays on 3 points
- Milestone: goalkeeper Yassine Bounou was honoured before kick-off for reaching 100 caps
A coach pleased with the attitude
Coach Mohamed Ouahbi, who had named a 26-man squad for the two November fixtures, summed up the evening in a few words to the press: « On s'est fait plaisir » — "we enjoyed ourselves". Beyond the score, the staff will note that several players on the fringe of the squad, such as En-Nesyri and the debutant Oufkir, took their chance. Midfielder Neil El Aynaoui was absent from the matchday squad.
Niger, coached by Nabil Neghiz, came to Casablanca after a win that had put them on three points. The defeat does not end their campaign, but it shows the gap that remains with the group favourite.
How the group stands
Morocco had already won their first two matches without conceding: 2-0 against Gabon in Rabat on 25 September and 2-0 against Lesotho, a match played in South Africa, on 29 September. Friday's result keeps them perfect after three matchdays.
Behind them, Niger have three points. Gabon also had three points before their own matchday-3 fixture, while Lesotho had yet to score a point. The final standings will decide which teams travel to the finals, which will be co-hosted in 2027 by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.
What comes next
The two teams meet again on Tuesday 17 November at the Complexe Prince Moulay Abdellah in Rabat. Officially it is Niger's home fixture, but it will be played in Morocco because Niger does not currently have a stadium approved for international matches. Moroccan media report a kick-off in the evening, around 20:00 local time, though the exact time varies between sources. Tickets have been on sale on the Webook platform since 12 November.
In practice, Morocco will therefore play both November fixtures in front of their own supporters, a clear advantage as they try to take a decisive step towards qualification.
What remains to be confirmed
- The name of Niger's scorer, which differs between match reports.
- The final kick-off time of Tuesday's match in Rabat.
- The result of Gabon's matchday-3 fixture, which will determine who is second in the group.
Main image: Achraf Hakimi, 9 July 2026 (file photo) — Bryan Berlin, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sources
- Morocco World News — Morocco thrash Niger 5-1 in AFCON 2027 qualifiers
- Africa Top Sports — Élim. CAN 2027 : Maroc 5-1 Niger, une démonstration des Lions de l'Atlas à Casablanca
- Le360 — Sports
- Le Matin — Qualifications CAN 2027 : les Lions de l'Atlas face au traquenard nigérien
- Bladi.net — Le Maroc jouera deux fois à domicile
