Morocco’s national beach soccer team, the Atlas Lions, fell 4-5 to its Mauritanian counterpart in a friendly match, on Thursday, ahead of the upcoming sixth Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), scheduled in Egypt from October 19 to 26.
Mustapha Tais scored two goals, while Ibrahim Agabli and Ali El Khdym added two more to Morocco’s score.
It is the second friendly match between the two teams, with the Atlas Lions winning 4-3 on Wednesday.
The Atlas Lions completed an intensive training program to refine their overall strategies and performance in the lead-up to the continental tournament.
Morocco placed in a competitive group (A) and will be facing Egypt (the host nation), Tanzania, and Ghana.
Group B features Senegal (the defending champions), along with Mozambique, Malawi, and Mauritania.
The national team’s participation will mark Morocco’s sixth appearance at the AFCON. The squad advanced to the semi-finals in 2015 and 2016 and secured bronze medals in 2021 and 2022. It ranked in fourth place in both 2016 and 2018.
The tournament is a qualifying stage for the upcoming sixth World Cup scheduled in the Seychelles.