Morocco claim early advantage with home win

Morocco boosted their chances of progressing to the next round of the qualifiers for the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup Costa Rica 2022, with a 3-1 victory at home over Gambia in Rabat on Monday.

Both nations came into the contest from nervy second round showings as the North Africans edged Benin 4-3 on aggregate, while their West African foes saw off Burkina Faso 4-3 via penalties after a 1-1 aggregate score to advance.

On Monday evening, the home side got off to a flying start against the visiting Gambians as Sofia Bouftini handed them an important early lead just two minutes into the game at Stade Moulay Hassan.

The Moroccans continued their search for goals on home soil and were gifted a penalty, which Kawtar Mahy converted from the spot for the team's second of the tie in the 15th minute.

With a 2-0 first half lead, the Atlas Lionesses remained unrelenting in their push for more goals and notched the third 10 minutes into the second half thanks to Oumayma El Amarani's effort.

The Gambians, however, didn't allowed the hosts' celebration of the third goal last when they profited from a defensive error to earn crucial away goal in the 56th minute through Fatoumata Jammeh, which was not enough to avoid defeat.

With a comfortable home win, the Moroccans will seek to seal their passage to the fourth round with a second leg victory against Gambia, who will be keen to overturn their two-goal first leg deficit in Banjul in two weeks' time.

Photos credit: @Equipe du Maroc