AFCON Daily: Last-gasp equaliser for Algeria, Tunisia and Mali share spoils
In this seventh edition of AFCON Daily, you can catch up with all the action that took place on January 20th as Angola topped Group D, despite conceding Mauritania’s first ever AFCON goal from open-play. Algeria must win their final group game after a draw with Burkina Faso and Tunisia are still yet to pick up a win after drawing with Mali, who remain top of Group E.
You can also find previews for today’s action, as more teams look to secure qualification from the group stage.
Angola 3-2 Mauritania
Mauritania’s first two goals from open play at any AFCON were not enough as the side fell 3-2 to Angola in this matchday 2 thriller. The win moves Angola top of Group D.
The excitement really began in the 29th minute as Angola goalkeeper, Neblú, closed down a shot from Mauritania’s Pape Ba. Angola were then quick on the counter and earned a corner. After a scramble in the box, it was Gelson Dala who found the loose ball and saw his shot bounce over the defenders and beyond the Mauritania goalie to take a 1-0 lead.
Mauritania levelled just before halftime in a historic goal from Sidi Bouna Amar who took on the Angola defence and slotted into the bottom left. The goal was Mauritania’s first ever from open play at an AFCON.
The first half ended with chances flying at both ends, but neither team could find an advantage before the whistle.
Angola quickly took their lead back after the restart as Dala scored his second of the day in the 50th minute. It only took another three minutes for Angola to add to the lead via a Gilberto deflected shot into the back of the net.
Mauritania got one back five minutes later through a stunning long-range shot from Aboubakary Koïta. Mauritania’s offensive substitutions and play kept Angola on the back foot for much of the second half. However, Angola found a way to close-out the game and take all three points.
Julia Andersen
Algeria 2-2 Burkina Faso
Baghdad Bounedjah kept Algeria’s AFCON hopes alive, scoring twice including a 90th minute equaliser, to rescue a 2-2 draw against Burkina Faso.
Mohamed Konate opened the scoring for Burkina Faso with a powerful header but Algeria fought back through Bounedjah.
Bertrand Traore thought he had won it after he scored his penalty with 20 minutes to go, but Bounedjah saved the point for Algeria five minutes into stoppage time.
Konate rose well to get on the end of a dangerous ball over the top and powered his header in, just before the half-time whistle.
Algeria then fought back straight after half-time, Bounedjah tapped in from close range in the 51st minute after some scrappy defending from Burkina Faso.
Rayan Ait-Nouri then clumsily fouled Issa Kabore in the box, and the penalty was given after more VAR intervention.
Traore stepped up and scored his second penalty of the tournament.
Unlike against Mauritania though, this one was not a winner as Bounedjah rose well in the box from a corner in the fifth minute of stoppage time to rescue Algeria’s AFCON hopes.
The double takes Bounedjah’s tournament tally to three goals in just two games. Algeria now need to beat Mauritania by at least two goals to guarantee qualification from the group.
Bounedjah is AFCON’s joint top scorer so far
Michael Thomas
Tunisia 1-1 Mali
Mali remain in control of Group E, while Tunisia are in danger, as the two group favourites produced a 1-1 draw.
First half goals from Lassine Sinayoko and Hamza Rafia were the heights of action, with Mali looking the more likely side to win towards the closing minutes despite not starting with Yves Bissouma.
On four points, Mali top the group going into their last fixture but Tunisia have just one point and are in third, so will need to beat South Africa to stand any chance of progressing.
The breakthrough was what you might expect from a Mali team with great quality in midfield positions, just ten minutes in.
Intricate passing down the left hand side, the sequence ending when Kamory Doumbia found Sinayoko who took a touch to burst away from two Tunisian defenders and into the box, then unleashed a low driven shot towards the bottom-right corner which went off the post and in.
It wasn’t long after when Tunisia equalised as Ali Abdi drove a low ball across goal and it was met by Rafia who poked it under the Mali keeper Djigui Diarra.
A few more chances beckoned for Mali but Sinayoko was unable to add his third AFCON goal and a possible winner, as his sliding attempt skewed over the bar from a Hamari Traore cross which set the striker up from a few yards out.
Eduardo Tansley
What’s on today?
Morocco vs DR Congo (14:00 GMT)
Tournament favourites Morocco made a flying start to AFCON with a resounding 3-0 win over Tanzania in matchday one.
The Taifa Stars are a lesser opponent than DR Congo, but the lucid form shown by Azzedine Ounahi will give the Atlas Lions every confidence they can dominate again.
DR Congo shared the points with Zambia during matchday one, but The Leopards were the more impressive of the two sides.
Brentford’s Yoane Wissa found the net in his first AFCON appearance, winning praise from club manager Thomas Frank in Friday’s press conference.
Frank said: “Yoane’s goal, very good goal on the last line.
“He played a very good game and should’ve scored one more I think.”
Can Wissa spoil the Moroccan party, or will the Atlas Lions roar into the knockouts?
Zambia vs Tanzania (17:00 GMT)
Zambia’s ‘Copper Bullets’ face Morocco in their final Group F game, so failing to defeat Tanzania today would put them in a difficult situation.
They may have drawn 1-1 with DR Congo, but Kings Kangwa’s goal emerged from a calamitous error rather than inspired attacking play.
However, Tanzania have never won an AFCON game and hardly inspired confidence against Morocco.
They will have to cope without Shakhtar Donetsk’s Novatus Miroshi too, after the midfielder was sent-off against Morocco.
South Africa vs Namibia (20:00 GMT)
You can always expect drama when Bafana Bafana meets Brave Warrior, but Namibia’s surprise 1-0 victory over Tunisia during matchday one has cranked the heat in this historic rivalry.
A late goal from Deon Hotto Kavendji awarded Namibia their first ever win at AFCON, coming against no less than Tunisia – who are appearing at their sixteenth consecutive finals.
South Africa, meanwhile, suffered a 2-0 defeat to Mali.
The Brave Warriors surprise victory has blown Group E wide open, while South Africa’s failure to tally any points means a loss here could be damning.
They will not be totally discouraged by the defeat against Mali, though, with Percy Tau’s skied penalty epitomising a lack of composure, not creativity.
Can they be more clinical tonight?
Jonny Coffey
