Thursday 26 December 2024

Thursday 26 December 2024

AFCON-2025: The Gambia Welcomes Morocco’s Successful Bid

Banjul – The Gambia has welcomed the success of the Kingdom of Morocco’s bid to host the African Cup of Nations (AFCON-2025).

The Gambia Football Federation (GFF) has congratulated the Kingdom of Morocco on winning the bid to host AFCON-2025, reported the Gambian media outlet “The Standard.”

The decision was announced on Wednesday by the President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) after the Executive Committee of the continental football governing body voted in favor of the North African country during its meeting held in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, recalled the media outlet.

GFF President Lamin Kabba Bajo described the news as a very positive and well-deserved development, according to the publication. He added that with its high-quality infrastructure, no country was more deserving of hosting the 2025 edition.

Bajo paid tribute to Morocco’s pan-African gesture, which has continued to open its country and facilities to African national teams, including The Gambia, for many years, the same source added.

“Morocco’s various national teams continue to perform exceptionally well at international football tournaments, most recently the Atlas Lions, who became the first African country to reach the semi-finals of the World Cup in Qatar. This is the result of the investments they have made over the years and continue to make,” highlighted Bajo.

He also referred to the bilateral cooperation between Morocco and Gambia, among others, in Africa, saying it’s time the continent also gave the Moroccan people reasons to smile.

“I have no doubt that they will organize an exceptional and extraordinary football mega-event,” Bajo said, quoted by the media.

Morocco has been awarded the 2025 African Cup of Nations to replace Guinea, which had the right to host the tournament withdrawn last year. The rights for 2027 have also been awarded to a joint bid from Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda.

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The Moroccan national football team dominated their Gabonese counterparts by 5 goals to 1 on Friday at the Franceville stadium, for the fifth Group B fixture of the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN-2025) qualifiers.

Gabon’s striker, Dénis Bouanga, fired first in the 5th minute before the Atlas Lions retaliated with a downpour of goals scored by Jamal Harkass (17′), Brahim Diaz (21′, 23′), Youssef En-Nesyri (81′) and Ismael Saibari (90′).

In the same group, Lesotho beat the Central African Republic on Thursday (1-0).

Following today’s fixtures, Morocco consolidated their position at the top of Group B with 15 points from five wins, ahead of Gabon, who qualified for the CAN (7 points). Lesotho are third with 4 points, while the Central African Republic are dead last with 3 points.

Morocco’s national soccer team thrashed Lesotho 7-0 (5-0 in 1st half-time ) on Monday evening at the Stade d’Honneur in Oujda, as part of the 6th and final matchday of Group B qualifiers for the Africa Cup of Nations (Morocco-2025).

The Atlas Lions won thanks to a hat-trick from Brahim Diaz (5′, 15′, 42′), two goals by Sofiane Rahimi (37′, 45’+2 penalty) as well as Youssef En-Nesyri (68′) and Ismael Saibari (70′).

With this win, the national team finishes top of its group with 18 points from 6 wins, ahead of Gabon (10 pts), who already qualified for the next AFCON and defeated this evening the Central African Republic (1-0).

Morocco’s football head coach, Walid Regragui, selected 26 players for the two upcoming matches against Gabon in Franceville on November 15 and Lesotho at Oujda’s Honor Stadium on November 18, the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) said on Thursday.

These two matches are part of the 5th and 6th Group B qualifiers fixtures for the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN), to be held in Morocco from December 21, 2025 to January 18, 2026.

According to the same source, the national head coach will hold a press conference next Tuesday at the Mohammed VI Football Complex in Salé at 6:00 pm (local time), followed by a training session open to the press for the first 15 minutes.

Here follows the list of players called up:

Goalkeepers: Yassine Bounou (Al Hilal/Saudi Arabia), Mounir El Kajoui (Renaissance Berkane), Salaheddine Chihab (Maghreb Fès), Ayoub El Khayati (AS FAR)

Defenders: Achraf Hakimi (Paris Saint-Germain/France), Noussair Mazraoui (Manchester United/England), Abdelkabir Abkar (Alaves/Spain), Jamal Harkas (Wydad Casablanca), Nayef Aguerd (Real Sociedad/Spain), Adam Massina (Torino/Italy), Adam Aznou (Bayern Munich/Germany), Yahya Attiyat-Allah (Al Ahly/Egypt)

Midfielders: Sofiane Amrabat (Fenerbahçe/Turkey), Amir Richardson (Fiorentina/Italy), Eliesse Ben Seghir (Monaco/France), Oussama Targhaline (Le Havre/France), Azzeddine Ounahi (Panathinaïkos/Greece), Bilal El Khanous (Leicester City/England), Ismael Saibari (PSV Eindhoven/Netherlands).

Forwards: Ilyas Akhomach (Villarreal/Spain), Brahim Diaz (Real Madrid/Spain), Soufiane Rahimi (Al Aïn/United Arab Emirates), Ayoub El Kaabi (Olympiakos/Greece), Youssef En-Nesyri (Fenerbahçe/Turkey), Osame Sahraoui (Lille/France), Abdessamad Ezzalzouli (Betis/Spain).

The Moroccan national football team comfortably beat their Central African counterpart in a 5 to null thrashing on Saturday at Oujda’s Honor Stadium, in the 3rd day of Group B of the African qualifiers for the African Cup of Nations (AFCON).

Abdessamad Ezzalzouli (18’), Azzeddine Ounahi (38’, 45 ‘+2), Achraf Hakimi (45’) and Soufiane Rahimi (pen. 71’) signed their names on the scoresheet in this demolition job.

The Atlas Lions, who have already qualified for the 2025 AFCON finals as hosts, consolidated their position at the top of Group B with 9 points after wins over Gabon (4-1) and Lesotho (1-0) on the first two matchdays.

Morocco’s national football coach, Walid Regragui, has announced the 25-man squad for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers against the Central African Republic. The matches are set to take place on October 12 and 15 at the Stade d’Honneur in Oujda, as part of the qualification campaign for the 2025 AFCON, which Morocco will host.

Although Morocco has already secured its place in the 2025 AFCON as the host nation, the team is competing in Group B alongside Gabon, the Central African Republic, and Lesotho. The Atlas Lions have made an impressive start to the qualifiers, defeating Gabon 4-1 and Lesotho 1-0 in their first two matches.

Goalkeepers:

– Munir El Kajoui (RS Berkane)

– Yassine Bounou (Al Hilal FC, Saudi Arabia)

– Salaheddine Chihab (Maghreb of Fez)

Defenders:

– Achraf Hakimi (Paris Saint-Germain, France)

– Mohamed Chibi (Pyramids, Egypt)

– Noussair Mazraoui (Manchester United, England)

– Abdelkabir Abqar (Deportivo Alavés, Spain)

– Nayef Aguerd (Real Sociedad, Spain)

– Adam Aznou (Bayern Munich, Germany)

– Abdelhamid Aït Boudlal (Stade Rennais, France)

– Jamal Harkass (Wydad Casablanca)

Midfielders:

– Sofyan Amrabat (Fenerbahçe, Türkiye)

– Ismael Saibari (PSV Eindhoven, Netherlands)

– Bilal El Khannous (Leicester City, England)

– Oussama Targhaline (Le Havre, France)

– Azzeddine Ounahi (Panathinaikos, Greece)

– Reda Belahyane (Hellas Verona, Italy)


Forwards:

– Ilias Akhomach (Villareal CF, Spain)

– Amine Adli (Leverkusen, Germany)

– Soufiane Rahimi (Al Ain, UAE)

– Ayoub El Kaabi (Olympiacos, Greece)

– Youssef En-Nesyri (Fenerbahçe, Türkiye)

– Iliesse Ben Seghir (AS Monaco, France)

– Abdessamad Ezzalzouli (Real Betis, Spain)

– Osame Sahraoui (Lille, France)

Morocco’s national team coach Walid Regragui will hold a press conference in Agadir on Thursday ahead of the game against Gabon on the first matchday of Morocco-2025 Africa Cup of Nations group B qualifiers. 

After the press conference, to be held at the Grand Stade d’Agadir’s conference room at 6:30 p.m., a training session will be open for photography for the initial 15 minutes starting 7:00 p.m., the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) said.

In turn, Gabonese team’s coach Thierry Dieudonné Mouyouma will hold his pre-match press conference at 5.45 p.m. on Thursday, the Federation wrote on its website.

Morocco’s game against Gabon is scheduled for next Friday at the Grand Stade d’Agadir at 8:00 p.m.