IFFHS CONTINENTAL NEWS - CHAN DAY 13
Picture : Youssef Mehri and Morocco won a second game !
Kenya for Quarterfinals. Angola, Zambia Out!
The situation in group A is quite tight. DR Congo and Morocco scored victories this Thursday night to set up a clash of the colossuses next Sunday for the second ticket into the quarterfinals. Earlier in the day, Morocco, with the second most valued championship on the continent edged Zambia, 24th in that ranking, 2-1 in the Nyayo National stadium. The winners of the game got the opener through captain Mohamed Rabie Hrimat who plays for ASFAR two minutes into the stoppage time of the first half. Zambia failed to capitalize on a 60th minute tempestuousness in the Moroccan area allowing keeper Elmehdi Al Harrar to demonstrate great goalkeeping. Five minutes on Zambia's Happy Nsiku found the net with a header which the referee ruled out for foul on player before showing yellow to irate coach Avam Grant. A swift reaction from Morocco seconds later saw RS Berkane's forward Oussama Lamlioui heading home from a cross to put scores at 2/0. Zambia fought hard to reduce tally that came up in the 70th minute through MUZA FC player Andrew Phiri after an assist from Happy Nsiku. But dreams quickly evaporated with a triple entente upfront between Mohamed Boulascout, Oussama Lamlioui and Sabir Bougrine bringing the scoreline to 3/1 courtesy of Bougrine. RS Berkane's forward, Youssef Mehri took the Mvp award.
To the Kasarani Stadium, 7th most valued championship on the continent, Angola and 8th best, DR Congo met in a derby. From the start of the game Congolese keeper, Brudel Efonge of the AS Maniema Union was always there to frustrate Angolan attempts. He did it so well that in spite of a better grip on the game by Angola during the first half, the scoreline stayed deadlocked at 0/0. In the 58th minute, an indirect free kick perfectly laid in the goal area saw AS Maniema Union's Jephte Kitambala cut the trajectory with a sublime header for a 1/0 lead. In the minutes following it took the spectacular keeper Efonge to deny Joao Chingando from hitting a parity. Cometh the 70th minute and the illusions completely evaporated for Angola. At that moment, a corner kick by Agee Basiala landed on the waiting head of Kalue Mokonzi from St Aloi Lupopo to take the situation to 2/0. Two snapshots at full time will certainly stay in the annals for a long time to come: Congolese coach Otis Ngoma celebrating on fours, and the logical Mvp crownng of Brudel Efonge who is the fourth keeper yet in the ongoing competition to achieve the feat.
This Friday, Guinea tackle Algeria and Niger play against South Africa.