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Casablanca, Morocco | AFP | Morocco ended 42 years without a senior national team football trophy by hosting and winning the African Nations Championship (CHAN) for home-based footballers at the weekend.
It was the first success since the country won the 1976 Africa Cup of Nations by drawing with Guinea to top a mini-league in Ethiopia.
The Champions #TotalCHAN2018 pic.twitter.com/nUSUcRTd1B
— CAF (@CAF_Online) February 4, 2018
AFP Sport gives five reasons why Morocco completed an unbeaten six-match CHAN run by whipping 10-man Nigeria 4-0 in a final staged in a Casablanca downpour.
— Previously unknown striker Ayoub el Kaabi was named player of the tournament after scoring a CHAN record nine goals in five starts.
— Playing all six matches at the same stadium was a benefit no rival enjoyed. Some teams travelled 800 kilometres (500 miles) between fixtures.
— Coach Jamal Sellami built his team around two Casablanca clubs with Raja supplying five and African champions Wydad four of the final starting line-up.
— A patiently-built 4-0 thrashing of Mauritania got the hosts off to the perfect start and they secured a quarter-finals place with a game to spare.
STATS | Check out the full-time stats! Which team had the better overall performance? #TotalCHAN2018 #MARNGA pic.twitter.com/IvQcgF5isE
— CAF (@CAF_Online) February 4, 2018
Snaps from the final: Morocco 4-0 Nigeria #TotalCHAN2018 #MARNGA pic.twitter.com/A0u4S17FwB
— CAF (@CAF_Online) February 4, 2018
— Sellami fielded his reserves for the final group game against Sudan, giving first choices extended recovery time in the middle of a hectic schedule.
