SAN-PEDRO, Ivory Coast: Shock 2022 World Cup semifinalists Morocco cruised to a 3-0 win over 10-man Tanzania in San Pedro on Wednesday as they opened their Africa Cup of Nations Group F campaign.
Captain Romain Saiss scored in the first half and, after Tanzania had Novatus Miroshi sent off, Azzedine Ounahi and Youssef En-Nesyri netted for the Atlas Lions.
Although an African powerhouse for decades, Morocco are seeking only a second Cup of Nations title 48 years after lifting the trophy in Ethiopia.
Morocco sprang to international prominence two years ago in Qatar when they became the first African World Cup semifinalists after eliminating Spain and Portugal in knockout matches.
The victory over group outsiders Tanzania in the southwest of the Ivory Coast was anticipated as Morocco are ranked 13th in the world, 108 places above the Taifa Stars.
Morocco began with seven of the team that started in the 2-0 World Cup semifinal loss to France in Qatar.
There were three La Liga players, two each from the Premier League and Ligue 1 and two with Saudi Pro League sides. Moroccans with Turkish and Egyptian clubs completed the line-up.
This contrasted sharply with Tanzania, whose line-up included Tarryn Allarakhia from English fifth-tier outfit Wealdstone. The winger struggled and was replaced after 38 minutes.
As expected, Morocco established territorial and possession dominance from the kick-off in a stadium named after deceased Ivorian star Laurent Pokou.
His five goals in a 1970 AFCON group match is a record for an individual scorer that still stands, and the official match balls for the 2024 tournament are also named after him.
En-Nesyri, one of the seven survivors from the semifinal against France, had a half-chance after nine minutes, but did not connect cleanly with the ball and it flew wide.
Tanzania displayed intensity, both in movement and tackling, but it came as no surprise when they fell behind on the half-hour mark in 31 Celsius (87 Fahrenheit) heat.
Hakim Ziyech, on loan to Galatasaray from Chelsea, lifted a free-kick over the defensive wall and when goalkeeper Aisha Manula failed to grasp it, Saiss poked the loose ball over the line.
Experienced Manula must shoulder some of the blame as he parried the ball infield rather than away from his goal.
When the teams left the pitch at half-time, it must have concerned Algeria-born Tanzania coach Adel Amrouche that his side did not produce a single goal attempt in 45 minutes.
Tanzanian hopes of levelling suffered a huge blow with 20 minutes remaining when Miroshi fouled Ounahi and was sent off for his second yellow-card offense.
Ounahi rounded off slick, short passing to increase the Moroccan lead on 77 minutes with a low shot from inside the box that flew past Manula into the corner of the net.
Tanzania were battling with 10 men and conceded again on 80 minutes when En-Nesyri fired a cross into the net for a goal that was confirmed by VAR two minutes later.
World Cup stars Morocco cruise to AFCON victory over Tanzania
https://arab.news/2ruqr
World Cup stars Morocco cruise to AFCON victory over Tanzania
- Morocco are seeking only a second Cup of Nations title 48 years after lifting the trophy in Ethiopia
- Morocco began with seven of the team that started in the 2-0 World Cup semifinal loss to France in Qatar
Vinicius hits winner as Real Madrid eliminate Benfica after racism row
- Benfica gave the record 15-time champions a rough ride but fittingly Vinicius, who never hides from the spotlight, scored on 80 minutes to effectively end the contest
MADRID: Vinicius Junior scored the winner on the night as Real Madrid beat Benfica 2-1 in the Champions League on Wednesday, progressing 3-1 on aggregate to the last 16.
It was the Brazilian forward’s superb goal which separated the teams in a first leg marred by an incident of alleged racial abuse aimed at him by Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni, who denies it.
Jose Mourinho’s side were still alive in the play-off round tie and took the lead early on at the Santiago Bernabeu through Rafa Silva, although Madrid’s Aurelien Tchouameni swiftly levelled.
Benfica gave the record 15-time champions a rough ride but fittingly Vinicius, who never hides from the spotlight, scored on 80 minutes to effectively end the contest.
It was Portuguese coach Mourinho’s first time back at the Santiago Bernabeu since he coached Real Madrid from 2010-2013, but he could not lead his team from the dug-out because of suspension.
After a week dominated by the fall-out from the first leg, Vinicius lined up for Real Madrid alongside Gonzalo Garcia, who stepped in for injured French superstar Kylian Mbappe.
Benfica were without banned midfielder Prestianni, after an appeal against his provisional one-game sanction was turned down earlier on Wednesday, with UEFA still investigating the incident.
Madrid hung a large banner reading “no to racism” at one end, with the game played under the shadow of what happened last week in Lisbon.
There were boos for Vinicius from the visiting Benfica fans and he prodded wide in the early stages, appealing in vain for a penalty as Nicolas Otamendi collided with him after he got his shot away.
Benfica took a deserved lead in the 14th minute as Madrid defender Raul Asencio clumsily turned the ball toward his own goal.
Belgian goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois kept the ball out but Silva was on hand to bundle home from close range.
Stung into action, Madrid pulled level two minutes later through Tchouameni. The French midfielder finished with aplomb from the edge of the box from rampaging team-mate Federico Valverde’s cross.
Madrid thought they had gone ahead on the night when Arda Guler stabbed home a loose ball after Garcia’s shot was blocked, but the Spanish striker had edged offside and it was disallowed after a VAR review.
Vinicius settles it
Courtois made a fine save from Richard Rios before the break, as Benfica turned up the pressure.
Silva hit the bar with a deflected effort before the hour mark as Mourinho’s side at times pinned back the hosts.
Madrid were dealt a set-back as Asencio was forced off on a stretcher after colliding with Eduardo Camavinga.
It had to be Vinicius who settled the tie, though, and Valverde played him scuttling through on goal, with the Brazilian calmly rolling a low shot past goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin.
Vinicius produced another celebratory dance by the corner flag, as he had done in the first leg in the run-up to the flashpoint with Prestianni, and to the chagrin of Mourinho.
This time, the 25-year-old just had thousands of jubilant fans jumping up and down before him, and his goal confirmed Madrid’s passage to the last 16.
