Morocco hammered Central African Republic 5-0 and Serhou Guirassy scored a hat-trick as Guinea trounced Ethiopia 4-1 on Saturday within the closing 2025 Africa Cup of Nations third-round qualifiers. Azzedine Ounahi netted twice and Abde Ezzalzouli, Achraf Hakimi and Soufiane Rahimi as soon as every as 2022 World Cup semi-finalists Morocco eased to victory in Oujda after main 4-0 by half-time. It was a predictable Group B end result as 114 locations separate top-ranked African staff Morocco from the Central African Republic — the widest hole among the many 24 third-round pairings. Â
Morocco equalled the largest successful margin in 2025 qualifying after South Africa set the benchmark with a five-goal drubbing of Congo Brazzaville in Gqeberha 24 hours earlier.
Morocco qualify mechanically for the AFCON as hosts, with the match resulting from begin on December 21, 2025 and end on January 18, 2026, the primary time it has spanned two years. Â
But as an alternative of enjoying friendlies, Morocco (9 factors) opted for aggressive match observe, leaving Gabon (4), Central African Republic (three) and Lesotho (one) to combat for one place.
The tempo and energy of Guirassy was an excessive amount of for Ethiopia to deal with in Group H as 65-year-old French coach Michel Dussuyer started a fourth spell in control of Guinea.
Guirassy, born in France to Guinean dad and mom, despatched goalkeeper Seid Habtamu the improper approach from an 18th-minute penalty to open the scoring in Abidjan.
His subsequent two objectives, after 37 minutes and in first half added-time, noticed the Borussia Dortmund ahead outpace defenders and fireplace close-range pictures into the appropriate nook of the online.
It was the primary hat-trick in 2025 qualifying and made Guirassy the joint main scorer with Algerian Amine Gouiri, Egyptian Mahmoud ‘Trezeguet’ Hassan and Ivorian Jean-Philippe Krasso.Â
Seydouba Cisse, who arrange the second purpose for Guirassy, turned scorer early within the second half off an help from Mady Camara.
After scoring simply as soon as in 180 minutes when dropping to the Democratic Republic of Congo and Tanzania final month, Guinea netted 4 occasions inside 48 minutes.
Ethiopia, who failed to attain of their first two matches, lastly breached the Guinea defence on 53 minutes with Kenean Markneh netting.
DR Congo high the desk with 9 factors, and share good data midway by way of qualifying with Algeria, Angola, Egypt, Ivory Coast and Morocco.
Tanzania have 4 factors and Guinea three, and their November assembly will in all probability resolve who finishes runners-up and accompanies possible table-toppers DR Congo to Morocco.Â
Matchday 4 kicks off on Sunday with a solitary fixture, between Burundi and Burkina Faso. There are eight matches the next day and 15 on Tuesday.Â
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