CHAN 2018 Final - Morocco 4-0 Nigeria - As it happened

by Graeme Jackson

Sunday Feb 04, 2018. 22:47

Welcome to as-it-happened coverage of the 2018 African Nations Championship final between Morocco and Nigeria from Stade Mohamed V in Casablanca.

Commentary:
All times CAT

90+2' - Full time - Done and dusted, Morocco romp to an emphatic 4-0 win and claim their first CHAN title!

90' - There will be one minute of added time.

87' - Another storming run from Nahiri down the right, his cross finds Haddad but the winger's effort is deflected away to safety.

85' - Five minutes to play. It's been pouring rain all evening, but that won't dampen the mood for Morocco... Casablanca will celebrate this long into the night.

82' - Substitution - El Kaabi makes way for Ayoub Nahnah in the last change of the match. What a great tournament for El Kaabi: his nine goals will give him the top scorer's prize, and he's surely in line to win the player of the tournament award as well.

78' - Substitution - Okechukwu replaced by Ibrahim Mustapha in Nigeria's last change.

77' - Yellow card - Banoun booked for a late tackle on Ojo.

73' - GOAL! Morocco 4-0 Nigeria - There's goal number nine at the 2018 CHAN for El Kaabi! Nigeria can't clear the danger, Nahiri tries a shot but drags it wide... only for El Kaabi to steer it in the right direction to make it 4-0!

72' - Substitution - Ahmed Hammoudan replaces Hadraf, who receives a standing ovation from the home crowd for his two-goal effort.

71' - It's an exhibition for Morocco now. They can ease off and stroll to victory in this match.

68' - El Kaabi with a free header... it's not goal number nine for him, as the 'keeper palms the effort away to safety!

67' - Nahiri with a storming run from right back, but his left-footed shot is straight at a grateful Ajiboye.

64' - GOAL! Morocco 3-0 Nigeria - One-way traffic now, this is in danger of becoming a rout. Haddad's cross is deflected, the 'keeper can only punch the ball to Hadraf, who gleefully fires home his second goal!

62' - That surely settles this final: Morocco have a two-goal lead and a man's advantage, it's hard to see a way back into the game for Nigeria.

61' - GOAL! Morocco 2-0 Nigeria - El Karti makes it 2-0, heading home on the rebound after Haddad's shot was saved by the 'keeper. El Kaabi even hit the post in the build-up, it was only a matter of time until the goal was scored!

60' - Substitution - El Mehdi Barrahma replaces Boulahroud in Morocco's first change.

59' - Okechukwu runs onto a long ball and has a half-chance, but he collides with Zniti and was flagged offside anyway.

57' - Substitution - Ali makes way for Augustine Oladapo in Nigeria's second change.

55' - Nearly a goal for El Kaabi, with the ball falling kindly for him at the back post from a corner kick, but Ajiboye makes a heroic save!

54' - A sustained Morocco attack ends with Jbira cutting inside and shooting toward the near post, where the goalkeeper has to parry away for a corner kick!

53' - Substitution - Nigeria's Anthony Okpotu replaces Ogbugh in their first change.

52' - Yellow card - Morocco's Boulahroud booked for a foul in midfield.

48' - Red card - Moses with a clumsy challenge on Nahiri, he picks up his second caution and is shown a red card! Nigeria down to 10 men and they are faced with a mountain to climb!

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

45+1' - Half time - That goal on the stroke of the interval has put Morocco in charge of this game and on course to win their first CHAN title! The Super Eagles will need to pull a rabbit out of the hat in the second half.

45' - GOAL! Morocco 1-0 Nigeria - Great goal from the Atlas Lions, they send Jbira clear down the left, he pulls the ball back for Hadraf, whose low shot beats the 'keeper low to his right!

44' - Yellow card - Moses booked for a clumsy foul on Nigeria's left flank. Haddad's resulting free kick is punched clear by Ajiboye.

40' - Five minutes to half time, still goalless between Morocco and Nigeria in this final clash. Nigeria almost create a chance for Ogbugh, but he's closed down in the penalty area.

38' - Morocco have enjoyed the better chances, but the longer they go without a goal, the more confident the Super Eagles will become.

35' - Another great chance for Morocco, Banoun's downward header from a corner kick bounces up for Nahiri, who tries an acrobatic effort and puts it over the crossbar!

34' - Yellow card - Osas the first booked for a foul on Haddad.

31' - Hadraf's free kick finds the head of El Yamiq, but his effort is tame and easily saved by goalkeeper Ajiboye.

28' - Nigeria coming into the game a little more in the last few minutes, they've weathered the early storm from the Atlas Lions.

25' - El Kaabi misses out a volley in the penalty area, Nigeria go up the other end and Osas sees his long-range shot well blocked.

23' - Midway through the first half, still goalless in the 2018 CHAN final.

21' - Haddad skips past a defender but can't quite send Jbira in behind the defence. It's been hard work for the Super Eagles backline so far.

18' - Nahiri goes direct for goal from a long-range free kick, but his effort doesn't have the beating of the defensive wall.

15' - So close for Morocco! Haddad whips a cross in from the left by-line and El Kaabi connects with an overhead kick which skims off the top of the crossbar!

14' - The referee is allowing a lot of near-fouls to go unpunished and it's making for a fine, flowing game of football.

12' - Hadraf crosses from a free kick just to the right of Nigeria's penalty area, but again Orji is there to make a fine headed clearance.

10' - Hadraf with a low cross from the right, but Orji does well to cut the ball out and Nigeria clear the danger.

7' - Haddad crosses from a corner kick and El Kaabi heads home to send the crowd into raptures, but the ball had gone out of play in its flight so the goal is ruled out!

5' - Hadraf whips a ball into the box from a free kick, but Nigeria defend well and look to counter attack. End-to-end stuff in the opening minutes...

3' - Boulahroud with a pull-back from the right by-line, he picks out El Karti but the playmaker puts his effort wide of the near post!

2' - Haddad looks to put El Kaabi in on goal with a quick ball over the top, but the striker is flagged offside.

1' - Kick-off - We are underway in Casablanca! Morocco wear red and green, while Nigeria are in a change strip of all-white.

20h50 - Our referee for tonight's clash is Gambia's Bakary Gassama.

20h40 - Both the Atlas Lions and the Super Eagles are looking to claim their first CHAN trophy, joining DR Congo (2009, 2016), Tunisia (2011) and Libya (2014) as competition winners.

20h30 - Half an hour to kick-off, here are the starting line-ups...

Morocco: 1. Anas Zniti, 5. Jawad El Yamiq, 6. Badr Boulahroud, 7. Zakaria Hadraf, 8. Salaheddine Saidi, 9. Ayoub El Kaabi, 10. Walid El Karti, 11. Ismail Haddad, 13. Badr Banoun, 16. Mohamed Nahiri, 20. Abdeljalil Jbira

Nigeria: 16. Dele Ajiboye, 2. Osas Okoro, 4. Emeka Atuloma, 5. Kalu Orji, 6. Stephen Eze, 7. Emeka Ogbugh, 10. Rabiu Ali, 11. Peter Moses, 12. Ikouwem Udo, 15. Dayo Ojo, 22. Gabriel Okechukwu