CHAN 2018 - Morocco 4-0 Mauritania - As it happened

by Graeme Jackson

Saturday Jan 13, 2018. 23:23

Welcome to coverage of the 2018 African Nations Championship Group A match between Morocco and Mauritania from Stade Mohamed V in Casablanca.

Commentary:
All times CAT

90+4' - Full time - Morocco 4-0 Mauritania - An emphatic win for Morocco in the CHAN opener! The Atlas Lions had to be patient, but once they opened the floodgates it was some pretty impressive start from the hosts. They'll hope this is a sign of thing to come in this tournament.

90+2' - GOAL! Morocco 4-0 Mauritania - Achraf Bencharki rounds the goalkeeper and scoops home the ball from a tight angle to add a fourth!

90+1' - There will be three minutes of added time.

87' - Substitution - Morocco's final change sees Badr Boulahroud replace Badr Benoun.

82' - Substitution - Walid El Karti replaces Ayoub El Kaabi in Morocco's second change of the game.

80' - GOAL! Morocco 3-0 Mauritania - Ayoub El Kaabi has a brace, scoring his second with a beautifully-placed low shot into the bottom corner!

77' - Substitution - Mauritania's last change sees Hemeya Tanjy replace Samba Moussa.

75' - Substitution - Achraf Bencharki replaces Zakaria Hadraf in Morocco's first change.

73' - Substitution - Abdou Mbark El Id makes way for Abdoulaye Sileye.

72' - GOAL! Morocco 2-0 Mauritania - Ismail El Haddad cuts inside from the right and shoots left-footed... his effort just has the beating of the goalkeeper and creeps inside the far post to double Morocco's lead!

68' - Yellow card - Moussa Baghayoko is cautioned for a late challenge.

66' - GOAL! Morocco 1-0 Mauritania - Finally the Atlas Lions break the deadlock, with Ismail El Haddad touching on a long ball for Ayoub El Kaabi, who coolly steers the ball beyond the 'keeper to put the home team 1-0 up!

62' - Substitution - Mauritania's Elycheikh Samba El Voullany makes way for Karamokho Traore.

61' - Another terrific save from the Mauritania 'keeper, as he flings himself to keep out a close-range shot from Salaheddine Saidi!

57' - Nayef Aguerd heads over after getting up highest to meet a corner kick. Chances keep coming for Morocco...

53' - Solid defence from the Atlas Lions as Mauritania look to threaten from a couple of set pieces.

49' - Great chance for Morocco as Salaheddine Saidi scuffs a close-range effort and goalkeeper Souleimane Brahim tips it over the bar in wonderful save!

46' - Back underway in the second half, no changes from either side at the break.

45+2' - Half time - The first half ends goalless. Morocco have enjoyed the better chances, but Mauritania will be pleased at having held the hosts 0-0 thus far.

45' - There will be two minutes of added time at the end of the first half.

41' - Mauritania with their first shot on target, as Lemrabot El Hacen's long-range effort is easily claimed by the host team's goalkeeper Anas Zniti.

35' - Yellow card - Abdoulaye Gaye booked for a studs-up challenge on Mohamed Nahiri.

33' - Morocco's Mohamed Nahiri goes for goal direct from a free kick, but his strike is sent just over the crossbar!

31' - Past the half hour mark, still goalless between Morocco and Mauritania in this CHAN opener.

27' - Yellow card - Mauritania right-back Lemrabot El Hacen is booked for hauling down Ayoub El Kaabi.

24' - Past the midway point of the first half and already there's a sense of frustration for the Atlas Lions, who seem to have run out of a bit of steam after their earlier dominance.

20' - Mauritania finally threaten on attack, with a swift counter earning them a corner kick. Abdoulaye Gaye swings the ball in from the set piece, but Morocco goalkeeper Anas Zniti is awarded a free kick for obstruction.

15' - Up to the 15-minute mark, Morocco are bossing play and it looks only a matter of 'when' and not 'if' they claim the lead...

11' - Sidi Mohamed Bilal receives some treatment after taking a kick to the shins, but he should be okay to continue.

7' - Now Mauritania need Sidi Mohamed Bilal to clear the ball from almost under his own crossbar after Morocco slice open the defence down their left flank.

6' - Zakaria Hadraf hooks a ball into the box from the right flank, but it's well cleared by the Mauritania defence.

2' - Morocco's Ayoub El Kaabi looks to have gotten in behind the defence, but he's flagged offside by the assistant.

1' - Kick-off - We are underway in Casablanca! Morocco wear red and green, while Mauritania are in an all-white strip.

21h25 - The national anthems have been sung, we're just a few minutes away from kick-off.

21h15 - Our referee for this evening's match will be Janny Sikazwe from Zambia.

21h00 - Half an hour to kick-off, here are the starting line-ups:

Morocco: 1. Anas Zniti, 4. Nayef Aguerd, 13. Badr Benoun, 16. Mohamed Nahiri, 20. Abdeljalil Jbira, 7. Zakaria Hadraf, 8. Salaheddine Saidi, 19. El Mehdi Barrahma, 18. Abdelilah Hafidi, 11. Ismail El Haddad, 9. Ayoub El Kaabi

Mauritania: 1. Souleimane Brahim, 4. Mohamed Wade, 5. Sidi Mohamed Bilal, 6. Lemrabot El Hacen, 15. Oumare Mangane, 11. Moulayeahmed Khalil, 17. Moussa Baghayoko, 20. Samba Moussa, 21. Abdou Mbark El Id, 23. Abdoulaye Gaye, 19. Elycheikh Samba El Voullany