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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
Yara El-Shaboury

Morocco are favourites to win Afcon – can they repeat World Cup heroics?

Morocco's Abdelhamid Sabiri celebrates scoring their second goal with Yahya Attiat-Allah in their friendly victory over Brazil
Morocco's Abdelhamid Sabiri celebrates scoring their second goal with Yahya Attiat-Allah in their friendly victory over Brazil, a rare success in their post-World Cup matches. Photograph: Juan Medina/Reuters

Morocco are heading to the Africa Cup of Nations with unprecedented expectation resting on their shoulders. The tournament, initially due to take place last summer but postponed by the Confederation of African Football (Caf) because of the rainy season in the host country, Ivory Coast, will be marked by the Atlas Lions trying to follow up a historic World Cup and add to a legacy that has eclipsed any other African nation.

Drawn in Group F along with Tanzania, DR Congo and Zambia, Morocco are heavy favourites for the tournament. In Qatar, they became the first African country to make the competition’s semi-finals, topping a group containing Belgium, Croatia and Canada before eliminating Spain and Portugal to reach the last four.

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