Morocco vs Niger result: Hakimi brace seals 5-1 win

Morocco crushed Niger 5-1 on Friday evening at the Mohammed V Sports Complex in Casablanca, in Matchday 3 of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, according to Akhbarona. Wafinkom had already published the match's kickoff time and broadcasters as well as ticket prices ahead of kickoff.

Yassir Zabiri opened the scoring in the 4th minute off a Brahim Diaz assist, before captain Achraf Hakimi, the undisputed man of the match, struck twice: first with a powerful shot from outside the box in the 27th minute, then from a direct free kick in first-half stoppage time (45+3). Niger pulled one back in the 41st minute, before Youssef En-Nesyri, back from injury, made it 4-1 in the 77th minute off a Hakimi assist. New call-up Ayoub Oufkir capped the scoring in the 90th minute off a pass from teammate Abdallah Wazzane, for his first international goal.

At the post-match press conference on Friday evening in Casablanca, head coach Mohamed Ouahbi described his team's attacking display: "The attacking performance was effective, we built our play well and moved the ball well out of the back." He added: "The national team dominated possession a lot and put in a very serious performance," which, in his words, let the team "take the lead from the start of the match." The coach admitted his players "lacked a bit of focus in the final minutes," while praising Brahim Diaz's level: "This is a world-class player."

What the win means for the group standings

With 9 points from 3 wins, Morocco now top Group 1 of the 2027 AFCON qualifiers, ahead of Gabon in second place on 6 points. Niger sit third with 3 points despite the loss, while Lesotho are bottom with no points at all.

Bounou reaches 100 caps in the same match

The match also marked a personal milestone for goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, who earned his 100th cap for the Atlas Lions against Niger, according to Le360. He becomes only the third Moroccan player to reach that mark, behind captain Achraf Hakimi (104 caps) and former defender Nordine Nibt, who leads with 115 caps. Bounou had already made his mark internationally at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

The return leg

The two sides meet again next Tuesday for Matchday 4 of the qualifiers, this time at Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat, where Morocco will host Niger. Follow the national team's latest results and fixtures on Wafinkom's results and matches page.