Morocco beat DR Congo 3-1 at Nyayo Stadium to secure a quarter-final spot.
Two-time champions Morocco booked their place in the quarter-finals of the TotalEnergies CAF African Nations Championship (CHAN) PAMOJA 2024 with a 3-1 victory over DR Congo at Nyayo National Stadium on Sunday.
The result confirmed Morocco as Group A runners-up, joining hosts Kenya, who sealed top spot with a 1-0 win against Zambia at Kasarani.
Heading into the final round, the group was delicately balanced. Kenya led with seven points, while Morocco and DR Congo trailed on six apiece. For the Leopards, victory was the only route to progress.
They started brightly, but Morocco drew first blood when Oussama Lamlaoui finished Youssef Belammari’s cross in the eighth minute. DR Congo levelled just before half-time, Jephté Kitambala scrambling home to restore hope.
The turning point came after the break. A VAR review confirmed a foul on Khalid Baba inside the box, allowing Mohamed Hrimat to smash home from the spot in the 66th minute.
Chasing the game, Congo left gaps at the back, and Lamlaoui punished them again with his second in the 80th minute after a neat assist from Youssef Mehri.
Though VAR later ruled out a fourth goal for offside, Morocco’s dominance was already secure.
Despite late substitutions and pressure, DR Congo could not mount a fightback, their campaign ending in disappointment.
The Atlas Lions, meanwhile, march on to the quarter-finals, where they will face Group B winners Tanzania in Dar es Salaam.
