AFCON 2020 Match 20: Ivoirian Draw Against Morocco Leaves West Africans in Precarious Position

The following article provides an oversight for matches and tournaments taking place in 2020.

AFCON 2020 Match 20: Côte d’Ivoire v Morocco

Ivoirian Draw Against Morocco Leaves West Africans in Precarious Position

June 21, 2020

Côte d’Ivoire 1 Morocco 1            

 

Côte d’Ivoire scored a replying second-half goal to set a draw against Morocco and leaving them with only one point from two games in AFCON 2020.

 

The west Africans brought Maxwel Cornet and Wilfried Bony up front, while Morocco brought Idrissi Oussama into the starting eleven.

 

Though the Ivoirians had the first attempt in attack, it was Youssef En Nesyri who had the first shot on target, requiring a deft Sylvain Gbohouo save.

 

Bony had the next opportunity, heading the ball after a cross sailed in from the left wing, though his effort drifted straight to Moroccan goalkeeper Yassine Bounou.

 

Down the other end, Youssef Ait Bennasser produced the closest effort of the match thus far in the nineteenth minute, where his shot was half-blocked by Wilfried Kanon. The ball looped over Gbohouo and hit the crossbar before falling straight into the hands of the relieved goalkeeper.

 

Offsides became the order of the first half before Serey Dié took a long-range shot, possibly to counter the chance of another offside, only the ball flew straight to Bounou’s arms.

 

Seeking a different approach, the Ivoirians employed a tactic of driving up the field via captain Serge Aurier, before switching play to the left wing and crossing from there. However, it came to nought. Instead, Aurier sought to work down the right wing all by himself, and it nearly paid off, though the Moroccans were better in the air when the cross came through to the 18-yard box.

 

Morocco stepped up the pressure and looked the more dangerous side as the half deepened, until Côte d’Ivoire countered via Max Gradel. He found Wilfriend Zaha, who then teed Bony up for the shot, only for Bounou to make the diving save. Zaha followed up the ball and shot from a tight angle, and this time defender Noussair Mazraoui ensured the ball went out for a corner.

 

After the break, Morocco gained the momentum, which led to the opening goal. Mbark Boussoufa won a contested ball in midfield and streaked into the attacking third. Drawing out defenders, he worked around them before shooting with his right. The ball stayed out of Gbohouo’s reach, hit the inside of the post and bobbled over the line.

 

However, Côte d’Ivoire immediately replied as they could see two loss in two games causing havoc for their chances of progressing to the Round of 16 after success in the Inter-Nations League. A cutback pass from the edge of the field found Serey Dié alone. His choice shot went through defenders’ legs and into the back of the net.

 

Morocco sought to gain back the lead, though crosses from both wings could not find any attackers. Gradel, down the other end, thought he had a penalty when he sped to a long ball over the Moroccan defence, only to be denied by the referee.

 

Morocco had chances to get the ball in their own box, though the Ivoirian defence held strong. Down to the north end, as the game became end-to-end football, substitute Nicolas Pépé capitalised on a poor defensive error, only for Bounou to hold firm to the shot.

 

With less than ten minutes remaining, neither side wanted to lose the match by attacking too hard. Morocco, though, did find a weakness where Aurier would normally sit in defence (he had swapped to be more central), though Hakim Ziyach’s short was rather weak. The north Africans then shifted to attack down the right, but the resulting crosses did not find their targets. In the end, both sides came away with the point, leaving the Ivoirians in a precarious position.

 

Important aspects of the match:

            Player of the Match Boussoufa’s goal in the 55th minute.

            Serey Dié’s goal two minutes later.

            Côte d’Ivoire with 53% possession.

            Côte d’Ivoire with better shot accuracy.

           

            Ivoirian best afield: Zaha with most passes and tackles overall; Serey Dié with most dribbles overall.

            Habib Maïga with three key clearances (two of them headers), an intercept and a block.

            Kanon with three key intercepts, two clearances, and two blocks.

            Ismaël Traoré with four key intercepts and a clearance.

 

            Morocco’s best afield: Boussoufa also gaining most passes and equal most dribbles for Morocco, Hamza Mendyi at left back with equal most dribbles for Morocco; Bounou with six saves.

            Mazraoui and Romain Saïss with two key clearances, an intercept and a block. Saïss with a late shot on goal.

            Ziyach with three key intercepts and two clearances.

 

Analysis:

The Ivoirians need a desperate win to have any chance of progressing to the Round of 16. Morocco still must produce a result against Algeria. The west Africans must utilise Pépé, perhaps instead of Bony. Morocco might need a change in formation, though working down the left wing may work against Algeria.