Morocco vs DR Congo 1:1 – AFCON 2023, as it happened
All the updates as AFCON 2023 favourites Morocco are held to a 1-1 draw by DR Congo.
This page is now closed. Thanks for joining us. These were the updates as Morocco were held to a 1-1 draw by DR Congo in San Pedro, the Ivory Coast on Sunday, January 21:
This page is now closed. Thanks for joining us. These were the updates as Morocco were held to a 1-1 draw by DR Congo in San Pedro, the Ivory Coast on Sunday, January 21:
- Tournament favourites Morocco draw 1-1 with DR Congo in their second group F match of the CAF Africa Cup of Nations 2023.
- Achraf Hakimi scored for the Atlas Lions in the sixth minute, while Silas Mvumpa came off the bench to level for the Leopards.
- Morocco stay top of the group with four points. They scored a 3-0 win over Tanzania in their opening match.
- DR Congo’s first match against Zambia ended in a 1-1 draw and they stay second with two points.
- Zambia face Tanzania in the group’s second match later tonight.
- Live updates
- Match stats
- Lineups
That’s all for now
Thanks for joining us for live coverage of this Africa Cup of Nations clash in San Pedro in the Ivory Coast.
World Cup semifinalists Morocco were held by DR Congo in a tough game on a steamy day.
Stay tuned to Al Jazeera as we will be continuing our coverage of this festival of African football over the next few weeks.
Goodbye!
More AFCON action to come
There are back-to-back matches at the Stade Laurent Pokou today, with Zambia shortly kicking off against Tanzania in San Pedro.
Both teams will be hoping to get their first win of the tournament and significantly boost their chances of last 16 qualification.
Later today, South Africa face Namibia in a Group E clash in Korhogo.
📋 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐗𝐈 📋
The Chipolopolo & The Taifa Stars' line-ups ✅#TotalEnergiesAFCON2023 | #ZAMTAN pic.twitter.com/iHcW56XWbh
— CAF (@CAF_Online) January 21, 2024
Morocco toil in the heat
The Atlas Lions were slightly off their game today, in what turned out to be a very hard fought encounter with DR Congo.
Despite a strong start, with a goal after just six minutes, they failed to pull away from the Leopards.
Things could have been even worse for the pre-tournament favourites, with Cedric Bakambu missing a first-half penalty for DR Congo.
Both teams now have just two full days to recover before their final group-stage matches.
نهاية المقابلة بالتعادل بين منتخبنا الوطني أمام منتخب جمهورية الكونغو الديمقراطية
🏁Full time !! 🇲🇦1-1🇨🇩
The match ends in a draw between our National Team and the Democratic Republic of Congo#DimaMaghrib 🇲🇦 #TotalEnergiesAFCON2023 pic.twitter.com/YklnRigv2c— Équipe du Maroc (@EnMaroc) January 21, 2024
Morocco with work to do
That point keeps Morocco top of Group F on four points, but they still have work to do if they are to make the last 16.
DR Congo sit second on two points, with Zambia a point behind in third.
Tanzania prop up the group on zero points. They face Zambia in around 40 minutes.
The final round of fixtures sees the Atlas Lions face Zambia on Wednesday, with DR Congo taking on Tanzania.
⌚️ FULL-TIME!
An early Morocco lead is matched by a late DR Congo equalizer as both teams share the points. 🤝#TotalEnergiesAFCON2023 | #MARRDC pic.twitter.com/V21J632TdY
— CAF (@CAF_Online) January 21, 2024
Ugly scenes on the field
It’s not certain what sparked that flare-up at the end of the match, but tempers have been fraying throughout this tie.
It’s a hot day and emotions are certainly high.
DR Congo will certainly be much happier with that result. Morocco still have work to do to secure qualification.
Full time
The referee blows his whistle.
A very hard-fought draw in San Pedro. The game finishes with a melee in the middle of the pitch involving both sets of players and some substitutes.
This one has boiled over. An ugly end.
Full-time: Morocco 1-1 DR Congo
Mbemba booked
There’s no penalty for Morocco – any handball, if there was one, would have been outside the box.
DR Congo captain Mbemba picks up a yellow for arguing with the referee.
It’s a chaotic finish to an eventful match.
90+8 mins: Morocco 1-1 DR Congo
Morocco appeal for a penalty
It’s been a very long afternoon out in the San Pedro sun for these players. They’ll be seeking out an ice bath after this game!
Morocco are finishing with a flourish but the DR Congo defenders are standing strong.
There’s then a huge penalty shout from Morocco, with claims of a DR Congo handball.
90+6 mins: Morocco 1-1 DR Congo
Mpasi battles with El Kaabi
Chibi delivers a great ball into the box from the left touchline.
El Kaabi jumps for it with Mpasi, with the DR Congo goalkeeper getting clattered.
The ball flies over the bar and Mpasi stays down hurt. He’s eventually back on his feet to defend a corner.
Harit delivers from the left and Mpasi takes it comfortably.
90+4 mins: Morocco 1-1 DR Congo
Seven minutes added on
Charles Pickel can’t continue and trudges off. He’s replaced by Aaron Tshibola.
Mayele then forces Bounou into a very good save, smashing a shot at the top left-hand corner.
Seven minutes have been added on. Can either side find a winner?
90 mins: Morocco 1-1 DR Congo
Pickel down hurt
Adli is booked for a blatant shirt pull, an easy decision for the referee to make.
Meanwhile, Pickel is down injured for DR Congo. Sebastien Desabre is lining up another change.
87 mins: Morocco 1-1 DR Congo
Morocco off the pace
Morocco looked comfortable for so long in this match, but they are looking fairly anxious now.
They were strong favourites coming into this match, but have not lived up to expectations.
They have just over five minutes to find a winner.
86 mins: Morocco 1-1 DR Congo
Morocco hanging on
DR Congo almost have a second!
Wissa surges forward before finding Elia on the right edge of the box. He heads to the byline before delivering the ball back into the middle.
Mayele battled to get onto the end of the cross, but Morocco scramble the ball away.
Walid Regragui makes another change for the Atlas Lions with Youssef En-Nesyri and Azz-Eddine Ounahi off, replaced by Amine Harit and Ayoub El Kaabi.
81 mins: Morocco 1-1 DR Congo
GOAL! Silas levels for DR Congo!
Silas Mvumpa, the substitute, pulls DR Congo level!
Elia makes a great run down the right before cutting the ball back into the centre of the Moroccan penalty area and finds Silas, who side-foots the ball home.
Sebastien Desabre’s substitutes have worked a treat.
76 mins: Morocco 1-1 DR Congo
Ziyech subbed
Play continues after a quick refreshment break as we enter the final 20 minutes of this Group F encounter.
Morocco make another sub, with Hakim Ziyech making way for Amine Adli.
72 mins: Morocco 1-0 DR Congo
End-to-end action
Players take another drinks break
Elia does well to latch on to a long forward ball. He competes with Chibi at the back for Morocco and the referee adjudges that the DR Congo forward committed a foul.
Time for another cooling break in San Pedro.
69 mins: Morocco 1-0 DR Congo
Changes for both teams
Morocco:
Off: Selim Amallah, Sofiane Boufal
On: Bilal El Khannouss, Abdessamad Ezzalzouli
DR Congo:
Off: Gael Kakuta
On: Silas Mvumpa
66 mins: Morocco 1-0 DR Congo
Ziyech delivers a good cross
Another ball into the DR Congo box from the Moroccan right – this time from Ziyech.
Mpasi reads it well and steps out to cleanly catch the ball.
It’s a fairly pedestrian tempo given the heat, but both sides are creating opportunities.
59 mins: Morocco 1-0 DR Congo
Masuaku tries his luck
Masuaku gets around one Moroccan player and sees some space open up in front of him.
He decides to make a long-range effort. The ball is sweetly struck, but flies wide of the post.
DR Congo keep pushing for the equaliser.
57 mins: Morocco 1-0 DR Congo
DR Congo make two changes
Off: Cedric Bakambu, Theo Bongonda
On: Fiston Mayele, Meschak Elia
A short while after those subs Ounahi fires over with an attempt from just outside the box.
54 mins: Morocco 1-0 DR Congo
Boufal fires over
Morocco are content to pass the ball around the back, forcing DR Congo to have to press in the heat.
Ziyech and Hakimi continue their linkup down the right, with the full-back whipping in an excellent low cross.
It evades everyone before finding Boufal on the edge of the penalty area, who skies an effort over the bar.
52 mins: Morocco 1-0 DR Congo
Early chance for Batubinsika
Bakambu attempts an overhead kick in the Moroccan penalty area, but it was overly ambitious and the ball goes nowhere near the goal.
Shortly after, DR Congo win a corner that is swung in from the left. Substitute Batubinsika gets up well and ends up getting a strike on the ball, but it flies just wide of the post.
48 mins: Morocco 1-0 DR Congo
Second half under way
Play resumes in San Pedro.
Can Morocco pull away? Or will DR Congo keep things tight and nick a goal?
46 mins: Morocco 1-0 DR Congo