The "Lions" victory receives global praise

Several international and African media outlets focused on Morocco's victory over Gabon, winning 2-0 in their opening match of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. They praised the Atlas Lions for securing three points despite the absence of several key players in their first appearance after the 2026 World Cup.

The website "Goal" provided special coverage of Morocco's win, highlighting Noussair Mazraoui's goal that put the Atlas Lions ahead in the 36th minute, followed by Sofiane Rahimi sealing the match with a second goal in the 84th minute. The site also noted that Morocco topped the group alongside Niger after the first round, awaiting their next match against Lesotho.

In France, "Sports" discussed Morocco's triumph, stating that the national team started the qualifiers with a win over Gabon. They also pointed out that Yassine Bounou played a significant role with his crucial saves, especially as Gabon attempted to equalize in the closing minutes.

Meanwhile, the Spanish newspaper "Marca" focused on what it called the "old guard," as the winning goals came from Noussair Mazraoui and Sofiane Rahimi. It praised the tactical strategies of coach Walid Regragui, who relied on several young faces to compensate for the absence of Brahim Diaz and Achraf Hakimi.

Additionally, the "ESPN" network highlighted Morocco's successful start in the qualifiers, as they secured a convincing victory in their first match, while "beIN SPORTS" emphasized the Atlas Lions' collection of three points, along with Yassine Bounou's impressive performance in keeping a clean sheet, particularly against Gabon's attempts in the final minutes of the match.

The positive reactions were not limited to the media, as Gabon's coach, Sébastien Migné, acknowledged the difficulty of facing Morocco, expressing his admiration for the level displayed by the Atlas Lions and confirming that the team performed at a high level across all areas of the pitch.

Moreover, the Gabonese news agency "AGP" recognized Morocco's superiority in the match, noting that the Atlas Lions controlled the ball for nearly 65% of the game, with Mazraoui successfully opening the scoring before Rahimi added the second goal. The agency also praised Bounou's interventions against attempts from Denis Bouanga and other Gabonese players.

Morocco is set to face Lesotho next Tuesday at 1 PM GMT in their second test in the qualifiers for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.