Morocco has become the first African nation to book a place at the next World Cup finals after a comprehensive 5-0 victory over Niger. The win, their sixth consecutive in the qualifiers, ensures they top their group with a perfect record.
The goals for Morocco came from Ismael Saibari, who scored a brace, along with single goals from Ayoub El Kaabi, Hamza Igamane, and Azzedine Ounahi. This dominant performance solidified their position as the only team with a 100% record across all nine African qualifying groups. Their closest rivals, Tanzania, were held to a 1-1 draw against Congo, putting Morocco beyond reach in Group E with a comfortable 18 points.
Other Qualification Highlights
Across the continent, other matches brought significant developments:
Group A: Egypt maintained their lead with a 2-0 home win against Ethiopia. Both goals came from penalties, scored by Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush. Burkina Faso also had a strong performance, beating Djibouti 6-0 to stay five points behind Egypt.
Group F: African champions Ivory Coast are back on top of their group, one point ahead of Gabon, after a narrow 1-0 victory over Burundi.
Group B: A crucial clash is set for Tuesday between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Senegal, who are separated by just one point. The Congolese secured a 4-1 win over South Sudan, while Senegal defeated Sudan 2-0.
Group C: South Africa extended their lead in the group with a 3-0 win over Lesotho. They remain five points clear of Benin. Nigeria, who have struggled so far, still have a chance to top the group if they win their upcoming matches.
With the group winners automatically qualifying for the World Cup, and the four best runners-up heading to a playoff, the race to North America is heating up across the continent.
