Morocco coach backs foreign legion to reach Nations Cup last eight

Morocco coach Badou Ezaki believes his decision to bolster his African Nations Cup squad with foreign-based talent will be vindicated by his side taking a huge step towards the quarter-finals at the expense of little Benin.

Ezaki was fiercely criticised for only choosing four home-based players in his 22-man squad but his confidence was supported by a stunning 1-0 win over Nigeria in their opening Group D match in Monastir.

The winning goal was scored by Bastia's Youssef Hajdi while 20-year-old Bordeaux-based centre-forward Marouane Chamakh could have hammered home the advantage with a little more accuracy in front of goal.

"We are looking good. We are a young team who need all the support we can get," said Ezaki, whose future with the team was once in doubt after former Paris St Germain boss Luiz Fernandez was linked with the post.

But his record stands up to scrutiny - the win over Nigeria was the team's 11th in 15 matches under his guidance with 24 goals scored and just five conceded.

The Atlas Lions, who have been African champions once in 1976, are now unbeaten in six matches.

Tournament debutants Benin gave 1996 champions South Africa a fright before losing 2-0 in their opener here and their Ghanain coach Jones Cecil Attuquayefio believes there is plenty to build upon for Saturday's game.

"The result against South Africa didn't do us justice," said Attuquayefio, who in the unlikely event of Benin winning the title here, would join Egypt's Mahmoud Al-Gohari as the only man to have won the continental championship as a player and as a coach.

"I believe there will be surprises in this tournament and we almost created one on Tuesday.

"My youngsters are playing well and they were not embarrassed by losing to South Africa. We are on a learning curve and our aim remains unchanged and that is to reach the second round."