Rabat: Morocco thrashed Niger 5-0 to become the first African team to qualify for next year’s FIFA World Cup in a round six, group E match played on Friday night in Rabat. The Atlas Lions showcased their intent from the onset, playing in front of 68,500 fans who gathered at the newly refurbished Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, taking control of the game with a 2-0 lead in the first half thanks to Ismael Sabiri’s brace.

According to Nam News Network, Niger faced a challenging second half after Abdoul-Latif Goumey was shown a red card for a second booking, leaving them with 10 men for almost 70 minutes. Morocco capitalized on this advantage as Yakoub Elkaabi extended their lead with a third goal following Youssef Bellamari’s cross in the opening five minutes of the second half.