Morocco retain African Championships title

Morocco bolstered their blind football hegemony at the 2019 Blind Football African Championships by adding another title to their growing silverware cabinet. 

A 5-1 victory against Mali in the final in Enugu, Nigeria, secured their fourth continental title, increasing their unbeaten run throughout all four editions of the competition to 16 games.

Morocco’s young striker Zouhir Snisla stole the show with two goals in the first-half, along with Abderrazak Hattab, who scored an 8-metre penalty to make the score 3-0 at half time. Snisla emerged again to score another early in the second-half to complete his hat-trick. Mali brought a goal back through a penalty, but Morocco scored a fifth end Mali’s chances of a comeback. 

Mali progressed to the final after finishing second in Group B, winning two out of three matches in the group stages to qualify for the semi-finals, defeating Nigeria 6-0. Morocco, meanwhile, secured victories over Mali, Niger, Egypt, and Ivory Coast, scoring a total of twenty goals and only conceding two against Mali in their first group stage match.

In addition to the title, Morocco also sealed the last football 5-a-side spot at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, joining hosts Japan, reigning Paralympic champions Brazil, Argentina, China, Iran, Spain and France. 

Ivory Coast achieved bronze after a 2-0 victory over Nigeria. 

FINAL STANDINGS
1.    Morocco
2.    Mali
3.    Ivory Coast
4.    Nigeria
5.    Cameroon
6.    Egypt
7.    Niger

The 2019 IBSA Blind Football African Championships were hosted by Bina Foundation in Enugu, Nigeria.