AFCON 2023: Tempers flair as DR. Congo halt the Moroccan mechine

Quite a chaotic end to what was an entertaining match as both sets of players rolled their sleeves and went after each other in a brawl that took nearly 6 minutes. It all started when Regragui saw Mbemba praying and still walked towards him. While talking to him, Mbemba stopped praying and gave the coach a hug. When Mbemba was about leaving, he (Regragui) held his arm back and chaos reigned.

The fight was a subplot to what was a great game. Morocco’s Atlas Lions missed several golden opportunities to secure an early qualification for the Round of 16.

As part of their second group stage match of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) held in Cote d’Ivoire, Morocco’s Atlas Lions tied with the former African champion DR Congo by 1-1 today.

In an attempt to give Morocco the lead in the first minute of play, striker Youssef En-Nesyri was on the verge of scoring a header from a cross by Hakim Ziyech.

However, from a corner kick following the first attempt, defender Achraf Hakimi netted the first goal for Morocco in the 6th minute, attempting to secure a potential qualification for the knockout stage.

In a breath-taking moment, the Congolese Leopards were awarded a penalty kick following a foul by Selim Amallah. Luckily for the Lions, the Congolese player lost the golden opportunity as the ball struck out at the right post.

Unlike the Morocco-Tanzania match scenario, the Congolese squad continued to exert pressure on the Atlas Lions throughout the entire game, until Congo’s forward Silas scored an equalizer in the 76th minute, decreasing the chances for Morocco for an early qualification.

With 4 points earned so far, Morocco is leading the group standings, followed by DR Congo, Zambia, and Tanzania.

Fueled with the fighting spirit that Moroccan head coach Walid Regragui has instilled in his players’ and fans’ minds from the latest World Cup in Qatar, Morocco debuted its AFCON journey with a stunning 3-0 victory over its Tanzanian counterpart on January 17.

After 48 years without winning a trophy, the rising generation of football players hopes to experience victory this time by defending a title in the ongoing tournament.

Congo’s first meeting with Zambia, also former champions, saw the neighboring nations tie the final score at 1-1, earning one point each in the group standings.

The Congolese Leopards’ trophy cabinet boasts two African cups, won in 1968 and 1974. The team has, therefore, gone into the competition aiming to hold a third championship in hand.

Morocco’s last group stage game will take place on January 24 against Zambia at the San Pedro Stadium, and will begin at 5:00 p.m. CAT