By Satish Sekar © Satish Sekar (January 17^th 2024)

Outclassed

The recently appointed Algerian, Adel Amrouche, saw his Tanzanian Taifa Stars dismantled 3-0 by Africa’s highest ranked team, Morocco’s Atlas Lions. Walid Regragui, Africa’s Coach of the Year, enjoyed a fantastic goal from Azzedine Ounahi and a dominant performance by Hakim Ziyech. Although he failed to impress at Chelsea, there’s no doubting Ziyech’s quality. The Atlas Lions’ skipper, Romain Saïss profited from Ziyech’s free-kick to open the scoring.

Morocco’s task was made easier by Novatus Miroshi’s challenge on Ounahi earning the left-back a second yellow card. Despite pleas to review the decision from Tanzanian players, the decision was not changed, and adding insult to a sense of injustice, Amrouche saw Ounahi exact further punishment with his wonder-goal seven minutes later. Sevilla’s Youssef En-Nesyri completed the scoring to round off a comfortable win for Morocco. Amrouche was left seething.

The Historic Rematch

Meanwhile, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Zambia cancelled each other out with a 1-1 draw. The Chipolopolo, then known as the KK11, after former Republican President, the late Kenneth Kaunda, and the Leopards had contested the unique AFCON final of 1974 – the only edition to require a replay of the final after the first match ended 2-2. Zaire, as the DRC was then known won the replay 2-0. The late great Pierre Ndaye Mulamba scored all four of his country’s goals to set a still standing record of nine goals in a single edition of AFCON.

Zambia took the lead through Kings Kangwa’s lob of an advancing Lionel Mpasi. Zambia’s AFCON-winning coach of 2012, Hervé Renard, was watching in San Pedro’s Stade Laurent Pokou. But the lead didn’t last. Brentford’s Yoane Wissa levelled after Cédric Bakambu’s pass left him the easy task of scoring a tap-in.

The goals ceased within half an hour, but the much maligned VAR intervened to correct an error, which would have had serious implications. Zambia’s Tande Mwepu was penalised for handling Arthur Masuaku’s cross, but VAR showed that it had hit his chest. The decision to award a penalty was overturned – the right result. The DRC and Zambia shared the points. Morocco head Group F with Tanzania propping up the group.