In a one-sided start to the match, Morocco were already pushing forward into the opposition’s penalty area and saw the young Kautar Azraf – a surprise starter for this opening match of the home Africa Cup of Nations for the Atlas Lionesses – miss the target. Zineb Redouani tried her luck with a lobbed shot from the edge of the box, but it sailed over Lilian Awuor’s crossbar.
It was her again who took a chance on the counter-attack, firing a powerful shot across goal from the edge of the box in an attempt to open the scoring. Morocco kept pressing and, after a missed attempt by Ibtissam Jraidi from a cross by Sanaa Mssoudy, nearly opened the scoring when a free-kick from Azraf found the head of Nouhaila Benzina. But it was blocked.
Kenya responded and Terry Engesha surprised everyone by attempting a 40-metre lob which dropped very quickly and came very close to beating Khadija Errmichi, who was saved by her crossbar.
Morocco finally broke the deadlock and opened the scoring in the 20th minute with a fine finish from Sakina Ouzraoui, who was played in deep by a through ball from Yasmin Mrabet that split the defence – 1–0.
Kenya nearly equalised straight away on a counter-attack that ended with a cross from Fasila Adhiambo, which Eglay Mukhwana met with her shin but sent over the Moroccan goal. But Morocco had already doubled their lead!
From a corner taken by Azraf, Maryame Atiq threw herself into the action to meet the ball with a diving header across goal at the far post, 2–0.
The third goal came shortly afterwards: played in from deep, Hanane Ait El Haj sent a floated cross into the box which was met by Jraidi’s header, 3–0.
From a long-range free-kick, the Kenyan goalkeeper made a save, before watching Redouani’s cross fly past her goal unchallenged.
Jraidi scores a brace
After the break, Morocco picked up where they left off: Mssoudy sent in a long cross from the right flank for Jraidi, who scored her second goal of the match by slotting the ball home with the tip of her boot from the penalty spot, 4–0.
Ait El Haj attempted a direct free-kick from 30 metres, but it went straight into Awuor’s gloves.
Mrabet’s free-kick from the centre met the same fate, being parried away by a fine save from the Kenyan goalkeeper. Out on the right flank, Shirleen Opisa attempted a daring cross-shot which flew over Errmichi’s crossbar. And Airin Madalina’s shot flew just wide of the Moroccan goalkeeper’s left-hand post.
Morocco, who had dominated proceedings throughout the match, were able to rotate their squad and make numerous substitutions towards the end of the game without their control of the match being threatened.
Morocco therefore top Group A thanks to this convincing victory, ahead of Algeria, whom the Lionesses of the Atlas will face in a real cracker on the next matchday. Kenya, meanwhile, will be looking to secure their first-ever point in the competition against Senegal, who were beaten 2–0 by Les Vertes earlier on Sunday.