Morocco beat Zambia 1-0 on Wednesday to secure the lead in Group F of the African Cup of Nations (CAN). A victory which indirectly qualifies Côte d’Ivoire, selected among the best third-placed groups in CAN 2024.
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The Atlas Lions made an entire country happy. Not theirs, who already knew they were qualified before the final match of Group F against Zambia, concluded with a score of 1 to 0. But Ivory Coast, who since Monday’s fiasco against Equatorial Guinea were eagerly looking for team that was going to draft them.
The entire host country had their eyes fixed on the Moroccans. And all the Ivorians assured us: “We are the biggest supporters of Morocco!”
The Ivorians reinforce the supporters of Morocco
Why this strangeness? Quite simply because in the legs of the Moroccans lies the salvation of the Elephants. Indeed, only a victory for the Atlas Lions allowed them to finish among the four best third-placed teams and thus reach the round of 16. Of the eighths which they would play with the interim Emerse Fae, Jean-Louis Gasset having been dismissed
In the San-Pédro stadium, the Ivorians came en masse to mingle with the Moroccans to support the Atlas Lions, even giving rise to beautiful scenes of fraternization which made us forget for a time the scuffles at the end of the match against the DR Congo and the accusations of racism made against Moroccan coach Walid Regragui.
Due to the sanction handed down by CAF of four suspension matches, two of which were suspended, it was from the stands that he watched his men’s debut. The Moroccans, faithful to their status as favorites, control the ball and methodically seek the cracks in the Zambian block.
A goal heard all the way to Korhogo
A wait which almost turns into boredom until a luminous combination allows the opening of the score. Boufal finds Hakimi to the right of the area on a long ball. Mulenga repels the Parisian full-back’s cross, but Ziyech is there to put the ball into the empty goal (36th, 1-0).
The Ivorian clamor is heard even as far as Korhogo where Tanzania – DR Congo is being played, where spectators in the stadium applaud the goal scored 535 kilometers away and which qualifies their team. The 22 players had to wonder what was happening when neither team was able to take the lead.
Ivory Coast thinks it’s breathing but upon returning from the locker room, the Chipolopolos show character and reveal themselves a little. Patson Daka finally shows up, as do the Banda brothers. Morocco plays with the Ivorian nerves by leaving more latitude to their opponents. A red and orange stadium pushes him to do more.
But the score will remain there despite a last praline from Emanuel Banda to the great pleasure of the Ivorians. If Morocco can be satisfied with finishing on a good note and offering itself an affordable match against South Africa in the round of 16, Côte d’Ivoire recovers – in addition to its salvation – a big piece: the Senegalese champion.
But one problem after another…