Morocco 3-0 Tanzania: Africa Cup of Nations as it happened | Africa Cup of Nations 2023
2d ago19.09 GMTThat’s all from me for this evening. A night on which Morocco reaffirmed their status as Africa Cup of Nations favourites, albeit against the minnows of Tanzania. S’pose you can only beat what’s in front of you! Bye for now.
Want more live football? Well there’s more live football for you. Scott Murray is all over this evening’s FA Cup third round replay action. Watch the football, it’s gonna move!
What are we to make of that? Well, DR Congo v Zambia later today might tell us whether Morocco will face stiffer tests in Group F than this.
They’re shoo-ins for the knockout stages already.
2d ago18.57 GMTFULL TIME
It ends Morocco 3-0 Tanzania.
A game that caught fire, from a Moroccan perspective, after they were given the helping hand of a Tanzania red card. Novatus Miroshi’s reckless second yellow opened the floodgates for the Atlas Lions, who made no mistake in punishing their opponents with quickfire late goals from Azzeddine Ounahi and Youssef En Nesyri. Ounahi was the standout performer and his goal was a genuine delight.
All that was after Romain Saiss’s rebound goal proved virtually the only highlight of a tepid first half. So Morocco start their campaign as AFCON favourites with a routine victory but be sure that tougher tests await.
2d ago18.53 GMT“Amrabat has been imperious?! Lads, it’s Tanzania,” says Peter Oh via email.
2d ago18.53 GMTNumbers 2 and 3 for Morocco here, for your viewing.
It's TWO for Morocco! 🇲🇦
What a swift move, beautifully finished by Azzedine Ounahi 👏 pic.twitter.com/8OJXp1Z5ET
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) January 17, 2024Morocco are running away with the game 😮💨
After a lengthy VAR check, Youssef En-Nesyri goal stands to make it 3️⃣-0️⃣! pic.twitter.com/L4BTGNNKGn
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) January 17, 202490 mins + 2: Amrabat continues to spread the play and, after Manula makes a bit of a mess of saving one shot, he then recovers to made a decent sprawling stop to deny El Khannous on the follow-up. It was so nearly 4-0.
2d ago18.50 GMTInto six minutes of added time at the end of the 90. Morocco are in cruise mode.
2d ago18.48 GMT89 mins: Tanzania have run out of ideas and run out of energy here in San Pedro.
For 70 minutes or more, they made a decent fist of this and they might fancy their chances against DR Congo and Zambia, the two other sides in Group F.
2d ago18.46 GMT86 mins: “Amrabat has been imperious,” says the Sky Sports commentator. Make of that what you will, Manchester United fans.
Boufal has been full of endeavour since coming on, seemingly determined to get in on the act.
2d ago18.45 GMT85 mins: The Atlas Lions have truly hit top gear since the Miroshi red card. Before that, Tanzania had shown some decent impetus and 1-0 was an uncomfortable scoreline for sure.
Now, 4-0 or 5-0 looks more likely as Morocco seek to press home their advantage.
83 mins: Amid all that chaos, Morocco made three changes, with En Nesyri, Ziyech and Ounahi now all removed as they get a well-deserved rest.
Sofiane Boufal is among the players introduced.
2d ago18.42 GMTGOAL! Morocco 3-0 Tanzania (En Nesyri, 80)
The goal stands after all! After some confusion, it’s rightly given, En Nesyri was indeed onside as he tucked it home from an inch-perfect cross.
Updated at 18.50 GMT2d ago18.40 GMT80 mins: Goal? It’s really opened up for Morocco now and En Nesyri slots home what he thinks is a third goal …
There’s a hint of offside and VAR are taking a look.
Updated at 18.42 GMT2d ago18.37 GMTGOAL! Morocco 2-0 Tanzania (Ounahi, 77)
Sensational stuff from Azzedine Ounahi, guiding home a brilliant second!
The Marseille player has been really impressive today and he shimmies into space on the edge of the box, plays a give-and-go with El Khannous and then slots it into the far corner, low and precise. That should be the game!
76 mins: Hakimi thinks he’s been fouled as he steams down the right … and he really should have got a free-kick.
It eventually falls for Ziyech but Morocco can’t quite squeeze it home, despite piling bodies into the box.
2d ago18.34 GMT74 mins: Surely Morocco will find that second goal now. Tanzania will have real trouble playing through them with just 10 men.
There’s plenty of fighting spirit still on display from the lower-ranked nation, mind you.
2d ago18.32 GMT72 mins: As the Taifa Stars players continue their protests to the referee, Morocca bring on El Khannous for Amallah in midfield. Miroshi has only just trudged off; he really didn’t want to go.
2d ago18.31 GMTRED CARD! Miroshi (Tanzania)
A second yellow for Miroshi! Tanzania have been ultra-aggressive in this second half and it’s backfired now. The referee gives the Shakhtar Donetsk player his marching orders.
He ought to have no complaints. It was another late, late challenge, nowhere near the ball.
70 mins: Samatta’s race is run, he’s going to be replaced Feti Toto.
As long as this is 1-0, Tanzania will believe.
2d ago18.27 GMT68 mins: Every time I type or hear the name Ounahi, I just hear Ross Geller from Friends.
Just me? Fair enough.
2d ago18.26 GMT67 mins: Tell you what, Morocco aren’t fussed about having too much of the ball, are they? Tanzania have enjoyed plenty of it, mainly passing it between their defenders before losing it when they try to advance.
Ounahi curls one over from 20 yards or so after a fast-flowing Moroccan move.
2d ago18.24 GMT64 mins: Drinks break No 2 is upon us.
2d ago18.23 GMT63 mins: Ezzalzouli has taken another whack on the ankle following a scything, nigh-on dangerous tackle from Mnoga. Will VAR take a look? Nope, looks like just a yellow card.
61 mins: Chibi and M’Mombwa are both booked after a brief bout of handbags. The referee standing for no nonsense.
2d ago18.21 GMT60 mins: En Nesyri twists and turns and ends up running the ball out of play for a Tanzania goal kick.
The Taifa Stars have made life more difficult for their prestigious opponents since the break, that’s for certain.
2d ago18.19 GMT59 mins: It’s almost like Morocco are waiting it out, sensing they’ll get more opportunities late in the game if they can quash this Tanzanian spell. And few nations are as good as the Atlas Lions when it comes to quashing attacking spells.
2d ago18.16 GMT57 mins: The game has become incredibly stop-start, although Tanzania are offering more of a threat, it has to be said.
2d ago18.13 GMT54 mins: Ounahi is the latest Morocco player to stay on the ground after a, ahem, combative Tanzania challenge. Looks like he took a bash to the ankle.
2d ago18.12 GMTA question on email from Joe Pearson:
So Tanzania have made two subs. Does that mean they’ve also used two of their three windows? Or are substitution rules different at AFCON?
I believe half-time doesn’t count as a ‘window’ for a substitution in any competition.
2d ago18.11 GMT51 mins: A big chance for En Nesyri! The ball in from the right flank was inch-perfect from Ounahi and the striker had the goal at his mercy, but couldn’t get his finish right. Maybe the goalkeeper did enough to put him off.
2d ago18.09 GMT49 mins: It looks, for sure, like we’re going to get a more adventurous Tanzania in this second half, winning a corner after another long range shot.
The corner is too long, however, from Miroshi.
2d ago18.07 GMT47 mins: Miroshi tries an extremely ambitious long range effort – powering way over the bar from at least 30 yards. At least it means Tanzania have had a shot …
2d ago18.05 GMT46 mins: Tanzania have made another change, with Morice Abraham coming on in midfield. That’s two subs used already.
2d ago18.05 GMTSECOND HALF
We’re back out and away once more. Peeeeep!
2d ago18.03 GMTAlmost time to get back under way in San Pedro. The only hope of a competitive second half is if Tanzania can somehow get their captain, Mbwana Samatta, on the ball in attacking areas. And if Morocco continue to be profligate.
Let’s find out.
2d ago17.50 GMTSome news from the Cameroon camp to bring you, as I grab a half-time refreshment.
HALF TIME
The referee calls time on a very one-sided half of football. It’s been all Morocco, although they took 25 minutes or so to really get going, eventually finding the crucial goal from a Tanzania mistake, Aishi Manula parrying into the path of Romain Saiss who netted on the rebound. They could have scored more since, while Bono has been a complete spectator in the Atlas Lions’ goal, not forced into a save of any kind.
Morocco will surely add to their tally after the break, unless Tanzania can summon something special on a rare foray forward.
Updated at 17.52 GMT2d ago17.46 GMTThree minutes added on: Tanzania continue to hack it long, looking for Samatta, but to no avail so far.
2d ago17.45 GMT45 mins: Some party pieces from Ounahi as he tries to evade pressure in the corner. Nice skills on display. Morocco are sensing a vital second as Ziyech is tackled last-ditch in the box. No murmurs of a penalty, but he ought to have got a shot away.
2d ago17.42 GMT42 mins: As we approach half-time, it seems the best Tanzania can hope for is to get to the interval with the scoreline 1-0. As Morocco have grown in confidence, Tanzania have become ever more ragged, the gulf in class showing.
Wisely, they’re just slowing things down at the moment.
39 mins: Another big chance for Morocco, which Ezzalzouli creates for himself, but he then blasts over as the angle tightened.
2d ago17.39 GMT38 mins: The Taifa Stars are bringing on an early sub, Simon Msuva replacing Tarryn Allarakhia, who has barely had a kick.
2d ago17.37 GMT37 mins: A superb flowing Morocco move ends with Ziyech in an ominous position, trying to arrow home from inside the box with his favoured left foot, but only finding the gloves of Manula. Corner again.
This is the goal that separates the sides.
Morocco take the lead! 🇲🇦
A powerful free-kick from Hakim Ziyech is saved and Romain Saïss is there for the rebound! 🙌 pic.twitter.com/3YNKhwwf61
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) January 17, 2024ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tbTEoKyaqpSerq96wqikaJ6fpMGjrculZqWhppp8c3yRbWajmZ5kfnh7zKipqJuTpHq3edOapbOZnp6ubq3Fq6CcmV2YwrF5zp9kp5mknryvv4yloK%2Bd