Morocco's smooth passage to the knockout stages of the Africa Cup of Nations hit an unexpected bump on Friday night, as they were held to a 1-1 draw by a determined Mali side in Rabat. The result means the tournament hosts must wait a little longer to confirm their place in the last 16.
Penalty Drama Halts Moroccan Charge
The match at a packed Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium was ultimately decided from the penalty spot at both ends. Morocco took the lead deep into first-half injury time through Brahim Diaz, who calmly converted after a VAR review confirmed a handball by Mali defender Nathan Gassama.
However, the Atlas Lions failed to build on their advantage after the break. Mali won a penalty of their own just after the hour mark when Jawad El Yamiq fouled Lassine Sinayoko. Sinayoko kept his composure to score, canceling out Diaz's opener and securing a vital point for his team.
Record Run Ends as Group A Stays Tight
The draw brought a historic run to an end for Walid Regragui's side. Morocco's world-record winning streak of 19 consecutive matches is now over, having been extended with their opening 2-0 win over Comoros. The stalemate also leaves Group A finely balanced.
Morocco still top the group with four points from two games, but they are not yet mathematically through. Mali and Zambia are tied on two points each, after Zambia's goalless draw with Comoros earlier in Casablanca. A victory for Morocco against Zambia on Monday will guarantee they progress as group winners.
Hakimi Sidelined as Mbappe Shows Support
Morocco again had to cope without their captain and African Player of the Year, Achraf Hakimi. The Paris Saint-Germain star remained an unused substitute as he continues his recovery from an ankle injury.
His former PSG teammate, Kylian Mbappe, was a notable spectator in the crowd of 63,844. The Real Madrid and France superstar was spotted wearing what appeared to be a Morocco shirt with Hakimi's number 2 on it, showing his support for his friend.
Morocco midfielder Azzedine Ounahi reflected on the performance, telling beIN Sports, "We'll look back at the second half and see what the problem was... We didn't impose our game. The penalty changed the game a bit." He added that the team's focus is now on beating Zambia to finish top of the group.
The final whistle was met with jeers from the home fans, a sign of the high expectations on the continent's top-ranked team. All eyes now turn to Monday's decisive group finale.
