DR Congo’s Leopards fight back to tame Morocco’s Atlas Lions
DR Congo fought back to hold Morocco to a 1-1 draw in a 2023 Africa Cup of Nations Group F match played at the Laurent Pokou Stadium in San Pedro on Sunday afternoon.
The draw saw the Leopards of DR Congo remain second in the group standings and they will book their spot in the Round of 16 if they secure a win over Tanzania when the two teams meet on 24 January.
Morocco, on the other hand, remained at the top of the group standings and they will be determined to wrap up their Group F campaign with a victory when they lock horns with Zambia on 24 January.
The Atlas Lions applied pressure on the Leopards from the start with goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi forced to deny Youssef En Nesyri with a brilliant save in the fifth minute.
Achraf Hakimi then made it 1-0 to Morocco from the resultant corner-kick with a lovely volley.
The Leopards had to find a way to level matters and they were awarded a penalty in the 40th minute after Selim Amallah was adjudged to have elbowed Henoc Inonga in the box.
However, Cedric Bakambu hit the upright from the spot-kick and Morocco were leading 1-0 at halftime.
With his side trailing coach Sebastien Desabre decided to introduce Meschak Elia and Silas Katompa Mvumpa.
The two substitutes combined well to make it 1-1 when Elia’s low cross from the right was turned home by Silas in the 76th minute.
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It was end-to-end stuff in the closing stages of the game as goalkeeper Yassine Bounou pulled off a great save to deny Fiston Mayele in the 90th minute.
At the other end, Ayoub El Kaabi was also denied by Mpasi in stoppage time to ensure that the game ended in a 1-1 draw.
Morocco (1) 1 (Hakimi 6′)
DR Congo (0) 1 (Silas 76′)
MOROCCO: Bono, Hakimi, Aguerd, Saiss, Chibi, Amrabat, Ounahi (Harit 80′), Amallah (El Khannouss 64′), Boufal (Ezzalzouli 64′), Ziyech (Adli 73′), En-Nesyri (El Kaabi 80′).
DR CONGO: Mpasi, Kalulu, Mbemba, Inonga (Batubinsika 46′), Masuaku, Moutoussamy, Bongonda (Elia 52′), Kakuta (Silas 64′), Picket (Tshibola 89′), Wissa, Bakambu (Mayele 52′).