AFCON 2020 Matches 29 and 30: Mozambique v Côte d’Ivoire and Algeria v Morocco

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

AFCON 2020 Matches 29 and 30: Mozambique v Côte d’Ivoire and Algeria v Morocco

Mozambique Win Leaves Côte d’Ivoire Bottom of Group D

June 24, 2020

Mozambique 2 Côte d’Ivoire 1

 

Mozambique pulled off an emphatic win over Côte d’Ivoire in an epic game to rise to third in their group, while the Ivoirians ended up with no chance of progressing to the Round of 16 as they exited the tournament due to three poor performances.

 

The Mozambicans made two changes to their starting eleven, including Candinho in the makeshift defensive role after Sidique Mussagi’s red card against Algeria. The Ivoirians also brought in a defender in Mamadou Bagayoko.

 

The Ivoirians started well; Maxwel Cornet wasted no time in opening the tale, scoring with his left beyond the Mozambique goalkeeper after his teammates punched a quick through ball to him waiting in the box.

 

In the fifteenth minute, Cornet had a ping from long range, only to fall straight to Júlio Franque.

 

Cornet then switched to the left wing and nearly set up Wilfried Bony, only for a stretching goalkeeper to make the vital save. From the corner, defender Wilfried Kanon fired a header to goal, straight to the hands of Júlio Franque.

 

Bony should have scored in the 22nd minute as he stole the ball off a defender; however, he panicked slightly and shot wide of the mark. Wilfried Zaha’s shot also followed a similar trajectory, though defenders were placing pressure on him in comparison to Bony’s wide shot.

 

Cornet and Max Gradel swapped wings again, almost bringing about another goal. Gradel crossed in from the left wing straight to a racing Cornet, whose header hit the post. The ball bounced off the back of Júlio Franque, before hitting the post again and out of play.

 

In a similar play, Serey Dié crossed to Bony from the left wing; again, the ball hit the woodwork.

 

Three more chances came the way of Côte d’Ivoire before the break; Gradel’s saved volley off a corner and Bony’s run into the box, where the goalkeeper collapsed on the ball before the striker had time to shoot. Gradel then won the ball in dangerous territory, only for his shot to be effectively blocked.

 

After the break, the match levelled out as Mozambique knew they were only a goal down after all that attack. Kito had the best chance, found with a through ball right in front of goal; Sylvain Ghohouo was brought into the match for the second time with an easy save.

 

Down the other end, Zaha toyed with Júlio Franque, easily dribbling the ball away from the goalkeeper. However, the Mozambican stopper was too smart on the chip cross and had his hands safely on the ball.

 

Mozambique, instead, caught Côte d’Ivoire slackening in defence with brilliant one-two passes before Maninho slid to reach the ball first before Ghohouo and level the match.

 

With just over fifteen minutes remaining, Côte d’Ivoire ramped up the attacks, only for counterattacks to halt their play. The best chance for the Ivoirians resulted in an offside; it looked like the west African stalwarts would bow out at the group stage.

 

When all seemed lost for either side, Mozambique sent a long through ball to Telinho. His shot, easily the best of the match, was taken from the edge of the box, and sent the back of the net ruffling in time with the Mozambican crowd’s utter jubilation. Suddenly, Mozambique could sense an opportunity to make it to the Round of 16 against all odds.

 

The referee blew the whistle straight after the goal, with the Ivoirians bottom of the group, while the Mozambique team sit in their hotel rooms, awaiting the results of other matches.

 

Important aspects of the match:

            Cornet’s 15th-minute goal.

            75th-minute equaliser from Maninho.

            Yellow card to substitute Habib Maïga.

            Additional time winner by Telinho.

            Mozambique had four shots on goal from four attempts.

            Even possession.

            Côte d’Ivoire’s pass accuracy was 83% compared with Mozambique’s 69%.

 

            Mozambique’s best afield: Player of the Match Júlio Franque with nine saves; Telinho with the winner and assist; Candinho in defence with equal most passes and most tackles for Mozambique; Mexer with equal most passes and most dribbles for his side.

 

             Côte d’Ivoire’s best afield: Cornet with his goal; Wonlo Coulibaly playing in different positions with four key intercepts and a clearance.

            Serey Dié with most passes and dribbles for his side.

            Zaha with most tackles for his side.

            Bagayoko with three key intercepts and three clearances.

 

Scoreless Draw Provide Algeria and Morocco a Place in the Next AFCON Stage

 

Algeria 0 Morocco 0

 

The race for top spot in Group D ended in a scoreless draw between Algeria and Morocco.

 

The Moroccans shifted their formation to a 4-2-3-1, while Algeria maintained their same formation.

 

Algeria started the strongest, with Ismaël Bennacer having a ping from outside the box in the fourth minute. However, Morocco’s Hakim Ziyach should have opened the scoring in a one-on-on situation with goalkeeper Rais M’Bohli, only to fire to the left of goal.

 

Attacking pressure from the Moroccans worried the Algerians, only for offside to win consistently on the day.

 

Down the other end, Algerian worked out how to keep up attacking pressure, resulting in another shot for Bennacer from a similar range to his previous; this shot was blocked with ease.

 

Goalless at the break, Algeria brought Abeid Mehdi into the fray. The second half was a series of half chances to shoot, only for both defences to hold firm. Moroccan substitute Idrissi Oussama had a header on target, only for the ball to fall into M’Bohli’s arms.

 

The same befell Amine Harit; his sliding shot was blocked by M’Bohli before the Algerian goalkeeper pounced on the loose ball.

 

Morocco switched to attacking down the right, with a cross ending up at the feet of midfielder Mbark Boussoufa. His shot hit the woodwork, and then Harit reached the rebound first, only to be deemed offside from the original shot.

 

Both sides had one last attack, only for offsides to remain supreme.

 

The whistle soon blew after Harit’s offside, and both sides celebrated reaching the Round of 16.

 

Important aspects of the match:

            Noussair Mazraoui as Player of the Match.

 

	Group D	Pl	W	D	L	Pts	GD
1	Algeria	3	2	1	0	7	+3
2	Morocco	3	1	2	0	5	+1
3	Mozambique	3	1	0	2	3	-2
4	Côte d’Ivoire	3	0	1	2	1	-2

 

Algeria now face Group F’s second-placed side, while Morocco will take on the second-placed nation in Group E. Mozambique also progresses to the Round of 16 thanks to scoring more goals than São Tomé and Príncipe, though they have the same goal difference. Their opponent will not be determined until the group stages have been finalised.