The Atlas Lions of Morocco once again showed that its sterling performance at the Qatar World Cup was no fluke as the team defeated a star studded Brazilian team in an international friendly match played on Saturday in Tangier..

It was the first time Morocco will beat the five-time world cup winners at any level and has gone down as an historic event in the country’s sporting annals.

In the entertaining and pulsating match that had the likes of Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr., Manchester United’s Casemiro and Tottenham Hotspurs’ Emerson Royal on parade for the Selecao Morocco got to a flying start when Morocco’s striker, Soufian Boufal, got the opening goal in the 29th minute and held on till the end of the first half.

Brazil got the equaliser in the 67th minute of the game when
Casimiro got on the end of a through pass and slammed the ball into the net.

But the North African giants stormed back shortly and got the winning goal through midfielder Abdelhamid Sabiri, to further outline their upward trajectory in world football.

Both Brazil and Morocco paraded a strong lineup in the match with Head Coach Walid Regragui naming his World Cup stars, Yassine Bounou, Achraf Hakimi, Hakim Ziyech, Sofyan Amrabat, and Azzedine Ounahi, in the team.

Regragui also gave debuts to seven new players including Chadi Riad, Ayoub Amraoui, Benjamin Bouchouari, Yassine Kechta, Ibrahim Salah, Abdel Abqar, and Mehdi Benabid.

However, key Brazilian players were also missing from the friendly game due to injury, including Neymar Jr., Marquinhos, and Richarlison.

The Atlas Lions will face Peru in another friendly on March 28.

The third round of qualifying matches for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2024 which will hold in Ivory Coast, threw up some surprising results as African football giants, Nigeria, got the shock of the lives after they were handed a humiliating1-0 win by minnows, Guinea Bissau at the Moshood Abiola Stadium in Abuja.

The Friday matchday 3 proceedings in the group phase also saw the Bafana Bafana of South Africa held to a 2-2 draw at home by Liberia while Cameroon were also forced to a 1-1 draw at home by unfancied Namibia.

The disappointing results, however, did not manifest in other matches as heavyweights Egypt, Senegal and Ivory Coast all romped to impressive wins.

In Group I of the matches played on Friday afternoon matches, DR Congo registered their first three points with a 3-1 win over 10-man Mauritania in Douala, with goals from Gael Kakuta, Cedric Bakambu and Arthur Masuaku, while Uganda lost at home to Tanzania1-0 in an East African derby Group F.

The win saw the Taifa Stars jumping up to second spot in Group F behind Algeria.

In Group A, Nigeria which had an array of stars including Napoli’s hitman, Victor Osimhen, Alex Iwobi of Everton, Wilfred Ndidi and Kelechi Iheanacho of Leicester City and a host of others, were humbled by minnows Guinea-Bissau who hit a smash and grab first half goal from Mama Balde, this displacing the Super Eagles at the top of the log.

AFCON host, Ivory Coast, did not have such bad luck as the hammered Comoros 3-1 with goals from Cristian Kouame, Sebastien Haller and Jean-Philippe Krasso, to reclaim top spot in Group H.

Cape Verde were held to a goalless draw by less fancied Eswatini with the Blue Sharks were frustrated throughout the match played in Praia, missing out on the chance to take battle for control of Group B alongside Burkina Faso.

South Africa let up a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 with Liberia and now walk a tight rope to qualify from Group K.

A first half brace from Lyle Foster had put the hosts in complete control of the match but Liberia responded in the second half with goals from Tonia Tisdell and Mohammed Sangare to secure a valuable draw.

Reigning AFCON champions, Senegal, moved to within touching distance of guaranteed qualification with a 5-1 demolition of Mozambique in Dakar, as Youssouf Sabaly, Sadio Mane, Iliman Ndiaye, Boulaye Dia and Habib Diallo helped themselves to the goals.

Seven times champions, Egypt maintained their top spot in Group D with a 2-0 home win over Malawi in Cairo, the goals from coming from Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush, while Equatorial Guinea defeated 10-man Botswana 2-0 with strikes from Saul Coco and Federico Bikoro to take top spot in Group J.

Burkina Faso beat Togo 1-0 in their Group B match in Marrakesh while Mali proved too strong for Gambia in Bamako, claiming a third straight win in Group G as Kamory Doumbia and Adama Traore scored the goals in a 2-0 victory.