Morocco coach Walid Regragui admitted to making mistakes as his team settled for a 1-1 draw against the Democratic Republic of Congo in their Africa Cup of Nations Group F clash on Sunday.
Achraf Hakimi’s early volley gave the Atlas Lions the lead, but a missed penalty by Cedric Bakambu and a late goal from substitute Silas Katompa Mvumpa saw the Leopards equalize.
In another Group F match, Tanzania and 10-man Zambia played to a 1-1 draw, leaving all four teams in contention for a spot in the knockout stage. Group E witnessed South Africa bouncing back from a loss to Mali with a convincing 4-0 victory over Namibia in Korhogo, where veteran Themba Zwane scored twice.
After two matches, Morocco leads Group F with four points, followed by DR Congo and Zambia with two each, and Tanzania with one point. Regragui, honored as African Coach of the Year last month, acknowledged that his second-half substitutions didn’t work well, leading to the draw against DR Congo.
Regragui stated, “After making changes to introduce freshness, we did not manage the match well. We retreated and allowed the Congolese back into the game. Tactically we should have been better. Perhaps we respected our opponents too much.”
Silas, voted the man of the match despite joining the game late, expressed happiness with the award but disappointment with the result. He noted that there were opportunities for DR Congo to secure all three points as they noticed the Moroccan team’s fatigue.
In Group E, the match between Tanzania and Zambia saw drama, with Zambia reduced to 10 men before halftime. Tanzania initially took the lead, but Zambia’s Patson Daka equalized with a near-post header just two minutes before the end of regular time.
Meanwhile, defending champions Senegal’s coach Aliou Cisse called for a reconsideration of match times due to the extreme heat conditions.
In the South Africa vs. Namibia match, Themba Zwane’s two goals contributed to a record-winning margin for South Africa in the tournament, but their last-16 place is not assured as Mali leads the group with four points.
The article provides a comprehensive overview of the Group F and Group E matches, highlighting key moments and coach reactions, while also touching on the heat challenges faced by teams in the tournament.
Reported By AFP.
