MATCH FACTS: Morocco take on Angola in TotalEnergies CAF CHAN Group B
Morocco and Angola meet for the first time at the TotalEnergies African Nations Championship (CHAN) on Sunday, with their Group A clash at the National Stadium in Nairobi.
Morocco have previously played Southern African opposition on three occasions at CHAN and remain undefeated: a 2-0 win over Namibia and a 3-1 win over Zambia (both in 2018 and 2020), along with a goalless draw against Zimbabwe in 2014—all in the group stages.
This will be Morocco’s 20th CHAN match, with Angola becoming the 19th different opponent they’ve faced. Only Nigeria have played Morocco more than once in the competition.
Angola's only previous encounters with North African teams at CHAN came in 2011, when they drew 0-0 with Tunisia in the group stage and then lost 3-0 to the same opponent in the final.
Morocco – Key Facts
· Competing in their fifth CHAN finals
· Two-time winners: champions in 2018 (home soil) and 2020
· Only team to successfully defend the CHAN title
· Alongside DR Congo, the only country with multiple CHAN titles (2 each)
· Unbeaten in opening matches: W2 D2
o Draws: 0-0 vs Zimbabwe (2014), 0-0 vs Gabon (2016)
o Wins: 4-0 vs Mauritania (2018), 1-0 vs Togo (2020)
· Currently on a 13-game unbeaten run at CHAN (W11 D2); last loss: 1-0 vs Côte d’Ivoire (2014)
· Only defeat in 12 group games came against Côte d’Ivoire in 2014 (W6 D5)
· Three 4-0 victories: vs Mauritania and Nigeria in 2018, vs Cameroon in 2020
· Ayoub El Kaabi holds CHAN record for most goals in a single edition: 9 goals in 2018
· El Kaabi is also Morocco’s all-time top scorer at CHAN with 12 goals
· Morocco produced the CHAN top scorer twice:
o 2018 – Ayoub El Kaabi
o 2020 – Soufiane Rahimi (5 goals)
· In 19 total CHAN games: W12 D5 L2 (losses to Nigeria in 2014 QF, Côte d’Ivoire in 2016 GS)
· Of 5 draws, 4 ended 0-0, and 1 ended 1-1
· Reached knockout rounds in 3 of 4 previous appearances (2014, 2018, 2020); only group-stage exit in 2016
Angola – Key Facts
· Also making their fifth CHAN appearance
· Runners-up in 2011, quarterfinalists in 2016, group-stage exits in 2016 and 2022
· Never won an opening game:
o Draws: 1-1 vs Tunisia (2011), 0-0 vs Burkina Faso (2018), 3-3 vs Mali (2022)
o Loss: 0-1 vs Cameroon (2016)
· On four-game winless run at CHAN (D3 L1); last win: 1-0 vs Cameroon in 2018
· Only win in last six CHAN matches
· Involved in 8 tournament draws:
o 5 ended 0-0
o 2 ended 1-1
o Highest scoring draw: 3-3 vs Mali (2022)
· In 2011 and 2016, the eventual champions came from Angola’s group (Tunisia, DR Congo)
· Qualified for CHAN 2024 with a 2-1 aggregate win over Lesotho
o Won 2-0 away, lost 1-0 at home in the second leg