Ayoub El Kaabi's Hat-Trick Powers Morocco to 6-0 Win

Ayoub El Kaabi secured a hat-trick in Morocco’s 6-0 victory over Congo-Brazzaville in African World Cup qualifying. With Ayoub El Kaabi’s remarkable performance, showcasing Morocco’s dominance on the field, the team has solidified its position as contenders in the qualifying campaign. Meanwhile, Cameroon and Ivory Coast settled for draws away from home. Azzedine Ounahi, Chadi Riad and Soufiane Rahimi also found the net for Morocco in a game moved to Agadir. Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo put Cameroon ahead against Angola, but a deflected goal saw the match end in a 1-1 draw.  Ivory Coast’s unbeaten streak was halted with a goalless draw against Kenya. Gabon, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s help, came from behind to defeat The Gambia.

Comoros, Rwanda and Sudan lead their groups while Cape Verde, South Africa and Tanzania also secured victories. Nine group winners will qualify for the 2026 World Cup with the possibility of a tenth team through an intercontinental playoff. The African qualifiers will resume in March 2025, with preliminaries for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations scheduled in September, October and November. Morocco maintains a perfect record, topping their group with a game in hand due to Eritrea’s withdrawal. Congo-Brazzaville faces disciplinary action for failing to play their match against Niger. The Atlas Lions dominated, winning 6-0 while Cameroon drew 1-1 with Angola. Sudan’s 3-0 victory over South Sudan saw emotional moments of solidarity before kickoff.

Ivory Coast’s winning streak ended with a goalless draw against Kenya while Gabon triumphed over The Gambia. Burundi secured a 3-1 win over Seychelles and Rwanda and South Africa are tied at the top of their group. Comoros claimed a 2-0 victory over Chad while Mali drew 0-0 with Madagascar despite playing with a numerical advantage.