Diaz stoppage time strike breaks Lesotho hearts
Ibrahim Diaz came from the bench to score a 93rd-minute winner as Morocco clinched a hard fought 1-0 win over Lesotho in the TotalEnergies 2025 Africa Cup of Nations Group B tie.
The Real Madrid star was introduced into the game at the start of the second half alongside captain, Hakim Ziyech as the Atlas Lions looked for answers from the bench against stubborn Lesotho side.
Morocco came into the match at the back of a 4-1 victory over Gabon at the same venue while Lesotho suffered a 3-1 defeat to Central African Republic in El Jadida.
The Atlas Lions bossed the game from the word go but had a difficult time finding their way past Lesotho’s last line of defense marshalled by their captain Sekhoane Moerane.
Moerane, who tends to rise to the occasion against the continent’s big guns, made several saves to keep his side into the game as Lesotho remained resolute for the better part of the game.
The match headed to the half-time break with the two teams still deadlocked at a goalless draw.
Morocco’s technical team were the first to react as Walid Regragui made four changes at a go with the start of the second stanza of the match as Ziyach and Diaz joined the match.
Goal scoring opportunities were few and far between for Lesotho’s Likuena, whose best attempt at goal came through their talisman, Motebang Sera while Lehlohonolo Matsau had his long-range effort ballooning over the bar.
The deadlock was finally broken in stoppage time as Diaz got his way past Lesotho’s defense to finally get the better of Moerane as Morocco clinched their second victory in two matches.
