Morocco beats Gambia in African Volleyball Nations Championship opener

Morocco’s national team defeated Gambia three sets to one in their match on Wednesday evening in Tunis, as part of Group B play at the African Volleyball Nations Championship. The Moroccan side took the opening set 25-22, before dropping the second 20-25. They then regained control of the match, winning the third and fourth sets 25-18 and 25-16, respectively.

Morocco will face Egypt on Thursday in their second and final Group B match, in a group made up of only three teams.

Speaking to the Maghreb Arab Press news agency, Morocco coach Sandro Passaro expressed satisfaction with the team’s opening victory in a tournament featuring sides of a strong standard. He noted that “there are, of course, two or three very strong teams playing at an exceptional level, but the other national teams have also improved and are now performing better.”

Asked about Morocco’s chances in the competition, the Italian coach said: «I have spoken a great deal with the players about this. We hope to give our best in this tournament and enjoy every match», especially as preparations «were good; we worked for a long time and put in a great deal of effort».

The African championship is being played across four groups. Group A includes Tunisia, Ghana, and Kenya; Group C features Algeria, Chad, and Nigeria; while Group D brings together Rwanda, the Central African Republic, Cameroon, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The tournament also serves as a qualifier for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games and the 2027 World Championship.