Host Morocco and South Africa join Egypt in Africa Cup knockout stage as Salah gets rest
Host nation Morocco and South Africa advanced to the Africa Cup of Nations’ knockout stage, when Egypt star Mohamed Salah got a rest with his team already through. Morocco made sure of its place in the last 16 with a 3-0 rout of Zambia on Monday. The hosts topped Group A to stay on course for having all their knockout games in Rabat’s near 70,000-capacity Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, which will also stage the final on January 18.
Other teams celebrate:
Results in Group A, where Comoros finished third with two points, and Group B, where Angola did likewise, set off celebrations elsewhere. That’s because teams with more than two points and already assured of at least third place in their groups have reached the last 16. The four best third-place teams from the six groups progress, along with the top two in each. Head-to-head results are the first determining factor if two teams finish with the same amount of points in a group.
It means 2021 winner Senegal, Congo and Benin (because of its win over Botswana, its first ever in the tournament) are through before their final games in Group D, and defending champion Ivory Coast, five-time winner Cameroon, and Mozambique (because of its win against Gabon) are through from Group F. Burkina Faso and Sudan are through with already-qualified Algeria from Group E because they both defeated Equatorial Guinea. Angola, which has a better goal difference than Comoros, can still go through with two points if already-qualified Nigeria beats Uganda and Tunisia beats Tanzania in Group C on Tuesday.
No whistles in Rabat:
Motorists honked their horns, some with flag-waving passengers on the roofs of their vehicles, and supporters blew vuvuzelas on the streets of Rabat after Morocco’s win. This time there were only cheers, after Morocco fans had whistled the team during its previous game, prompting a rebuke from team captain Achraf Hakimi on Sunday.
Ayoub El Kaabi made sure of the win in the 50th with a spectacular bicycle kick — his second of the tournament. An offside flag added to the drama as the goal was ruled out and then allowed after a VAR check confirmed El Kaabi was onside, setting off more joyous celebrations in the stadium. They had further reason to cheer when Hakimi went on as a substitute in the 64th for his first appearance since recovering from an ankle injury.
The African Footballer of the Year will likely start Sunday, when Morocco will play one of the third-place finishers from Groups C, D or E, the first of what the home fans hope will be four wins to lift the title. “Now a new competition begins, where there is no room for error,” El Kaabi said.
Mali squeezes through:
Mali’s 0-0 draw with Comoros was enough to finish second in Group A with three draws. Mali midfielder Amadou Haidara was sent off late. “If we keep playing like this, we won’t stay long in the tournament,” Mali coach Tom Sainfiet said. The Eagles will play the second-place finisher in Group D in Casablanca on Saturday, possibly Congo.
Bafana Bafana celebrate:
Oswin Appollis fired South Africa into the last 16 with a 3-2 win over Zimbabwe. The Bafana Bafana progressed in second place in Group B, behind Egypt, which drew 0-0 with Angola in Agadir. Both final group games were played at the same time.
