Five Reasons Why Morocco Are Champs

Morocco ended 42 years without a senior national team football trophy by hosting and winning the African Nations Championship (Chan) for home-based footballers at the weekend.

It was the first success since the country won the 1976 Africa Cup of Nations by drawing with Guinea to top a mini-league in Ethiopia.

AFP Sport gives five reasons why Morocco completed an unbeaten six-match Chan run by whipping 10-man Nigeria 4-0 in a final staged in a Casablanca downpour.

— Previously unknown striker Ayoub el Kaabi was named player of the tournament after scoring a Chan record nine goals in five starts.

— Playing all six matches at the same stadium was a benefit no rival enjoyed. Some teams travelled 800 kilometres (500 miles) between fixtures.

— Coach Jamal Sellami built his team around two Casablanca clubs with Raja supplying five and African champions Wydad four of the final starting line-up.

— A patiently-built 4-0 thrashing of Mauritania got the hosts off to the perfect start and they secured a quarterfinals place with a game to spare.

— Sellami fielded his reserves for the final group game against Sudan, giving first choices extended recovery time in the middle of a hectic schedule.