Morocco kicked off their TotalEnergies CAF U-17 Africa Cup of Nations campaign in stunning fashion, thrashing Uganda 5-0 in front of a jubilant home crowd at El Bachir Stadium, Mohammedia on Sunday night.
The Atlas Cubs wasted no time asserting their dominance, scoring twice inside the first 10 minutes and never looking back. The emphatic win sends Morocco straight to the top of Group A of the revamped U-17 AFCON, boosting their early hopes of lifting the continental title.
A Night of Football and Festivities
With Ramadan coming to an end and Eid al-Fitr just a day away, the atmosphere inside the stadium was electric as fans celebrated both faith and football.
“What better way to start the Eid celebrations than to support our young Lions of the Atlas,” said Amir, a passionate local fan. “I brought my daughters and nephew—I knew they would make us proud!”
Early Goals Set the Tone
It took just three minutes for Ilies Belmokhtar to open the scoring before Driss Aït Chiekh doubled Morocco’s lead in the 8th minute.
The pressure was relentless, and in the 23rd minute, a VAR review awarded Morocco a penalty, calmly converted by Real Betis forward Ziyad Baha Abedlahadj, as the crowd roared “Chebbka!” (meaning “the net”).
Before halftime, Belmokhtar added his second of the night, capping off a dominant first-half performance in which Morocco controlled 67% possession and converted four of their six chances.
Uganda’s Efforts Denied
After the break, Uganda showed renewed intent, with Simon Wanyama forcing an excellent save from Moroccan goalkeeper Chouaib Bellaarouch.
Despite Elvis Torach and Richard Okello testing the Mohammed VI Academy shot-stopper, he remained unbeatable to preserve his clean sheet.
As Uganda pushed forward, they left gaps at the back, and Ziyad Baha pounced on a defensive error in the 71st minute to complete the rout.
📹 HIGHLIGHTS: 🇲🇦 5-0 🇺🇬
5-star performance from the hosts as they score 5 and keep a cleansheet against Uganda in the opening game. 🌟 #MARUGA | #TotalEnergiesAFCONU17 pic.twitter.com/hHaGxD0VSC
— CAF_Online (@CAF_Online) March 31, 2025A Statement of Intent
With three points and a commanding goal difference, Morocco now sits atop Group A, sending an early warning to their rivals.
For the home fans, it was a perfect evening, blending footballing joy with the spirit of Eid—and for the Atlas Cubs, it was a powerful opening statement in their quest for continental glory.
