Ghana suffered a devastating defeat at the hands of an exceptional Moroccan side in the U-23 Africa Cup of Nations on Tuesday evening at Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat.
The host nation displayed a masterclass performance, securing a comprehensive 5-1 victory and securing their place in the tournament’s semi-finals, leaving Ghana in need of a win in their final match against Guinea, who also have three points, to advance.
Black Meteors entered the game with confidence, having made a winning start in the tournament by defeating Congo 3-2. They were optimistic given Morocco’s struggle in their first match against Guinea. However, Morocco showcased a completely different level of play, delivering a breathtaking performance that deservedly resulted in a convincing win.
Morocco wasted no time in establishing their dominance, taking a commanding 2-0 lead within the first 10 minutes through goals from Amir Richardson and Ismael Saibari.
The host nation continued their stellar performance, with Yanis Begraoui scoring their third goal in the 30th minute after a brilliant build-up.
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Although Ghana managed to pull one back with Salim Adams finding the net in the 43rd minute, their hopes of a comeback were shattered when Fatawu Issahaku’s brilliant shot was disallowed just before halftime due to the ball going out of play in the build-up.
After the break, Morocco quickly scored two goals, courtesy of captain Abde and Begraoui, establishing a commanding lead.
Despite Ghana’s late efforts, which forced saves from Morocca goalkeeper Alaa Bellaarouch, the heavy defeat places them in a precarious position in the tournament. To progress to the semi-finals and keep their hopes of qualifying for the Olympic Games alive, Ghana must secure a victory in their final group stage match against Guinea.