On Monday, Real Madrid’s Brahim Diaz became the first Moroccan player to score in three consecutive African Cup of Nations matches after Atlas Lions thrashed Zambia 3-0 to book their place in the tournament’s round of 16. 

Ayoub El Kaabi opened the scoring for Morocco barely 10 minutes into the match as he, from a very close range, headed home a cross from Azzedine Ounahi to put his side ahead. 

Eighteen minutes later, Diaz scored his third goal of the tournament when he fired home a cut through pass by Abdessamed Ezzalzouli into the 18-yard box, doubling the advantage for the hosts going into the halftime break. 

El Kaabi made it 3-0 in the 50th minute when he met a cross into the box by Ounahi with an overhead kick to score his brace of the night, extending his tournament’s tally to three goals. 

It was the second overhead kick goal the forward has scored in this competition after netting one in the opener against Comoros. 

Monday’s match also saw reigning African Footballer of the Year Achraf Hakimi made his debut in this tournament after recovering from an injury sustained before the competition.

The Paris Saint-Germain player nearly scored late on in the encounter but his effort from close range was saved by Willard Mwanza.

Morocco finished the group stage as Group A winners with seven points and will be joined by Mali, who played a goalless draw against Comoros, as the two teams with the automatic round of 16 berth. 

Mali finished the second with three points while both Comoros and Zambia had two points apiece.