Morocco began the TotalEnergies CAF U-17 Africa Cup of Nations with an impressive 5-0 victory over Uganda in Mohammedia on Sunday night.
The hosts quickly established their dominance, scoring two goals in the first ten minutes. Ilies Belmokhtar opened the scoring in the third minute, followed by Driss Aït Chiekh in the eighth. In the 23rd minute, a penalty, awarded after a VAR review, was converted by Ziyad Baha Abedlahadj, who was cheered by the crowd.
Belmokhtar scored again, bringing Morocco’s lead to 4-0 before halftime. The team dominated possession at 67% and converted four of six chances in the first half.
After the break, Uganda tried to regroup, but Moroccan goalkeeper Chouaib Bellaarouch made several crucial saves. In the 71st minute, Ziyad Baha scored again after a defensive error, finalizing the score at 5-0.
This commanding win puts Morocco at the top of Group A, sending a strong message to their rivals as they celebrate Eid with their fans. It was a clear statement of intent from a team determined to go far in the tournament.
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