Lesotho 0-1 Morocco: Visitors Hold on to Secure First Leg Advantage in African Cup Qualifiers

Underdogs Lesotho Put Up a Fight, But Morocco's Clinical Edge Proves Decisive

In a hard-fought African Cup of Nations qualifier, Morocco emerged victorious over Lesotho, securing a narrow 1-0 victory at the Setsoto Stadium in Maseru.

Lesotho, ranked 144th in the FIFA World Rankings, made a resilient start to the match, showcasing their determination to upset their higher-ranked opponents.

However, it was Morocco who found the breakthrough in the 32nd minute. A swift attacking move led to a cross from the right flank, which was met with a clinical header from Abdelhamid Sabiri, giving the visitors a crucial away goal.

Lesotho's Heroics Fall Short

Despite conceding an early goal, Lesotho refused to give up and continued to threaten Morocco's defense with their pace and physicality.

In the second half, Lesotho came close to equalizing on several occasions, with Jane Thabantso and Tumelo Khutlang both having chances to level the score.

Morocco, however, defended resolutely and held on to their slender lead to secure a valuable victory in their quest for qualification to the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast.

Next Steps for Both Teams

With the first leg advantage in hand, Morocco will be confident heading into the second leg in Rabat on June 14th.

Lesotho, despite the defeat, can take heart from their spirited performance and will be looking to cause an upset in the return leg.

The overall winner of this tie will qualify for the group stage of the African Cup of Nations, where they will face some of the continent's top teams.