The champions of Africa begin the defence of their title on Tuesday in Douala, Cameroon and having surveyed the first two days of the Africa Cup of Nations, may suspect that the toughest perils immediately ahead of them will come off the pitch. Tip-toeing through Covid-19 absenteeism, mastering hot conditions are significant challenges at Cameroon’s Afcon.
Those circumstances shaped some subdued showings on Monday from a trio of the leading contenders, Senegal, Morocco and Ghana, to snatch the title from Riyad Mahrez’s Algeria, who are unbeaten since they triumphed in the Egypt tournament of 2019.
Senegal, missing several key men because of positive Covid tests, needed a stoppage time penalty, converted by Sadio Mane, to beat a stubborn Zimbabwe 1-0.
Morocco had to be patient, too, Sofiane Boufal’s opportunism snatching the only goal of the game against Ghana in the 83rd minute, in this Afcon’s first meeting of traditional heavyweights and former title-holders.
Both Morocco and Ghana, in Group C, would rather not have to count back so many generations since they last lifted the trophy, in the 1970s and 1980s respectively. But expectation from home in each case is for a run deep into the knockout phase. Morocco, with their worldly and balanced squad, have the equipment of potential finalists.
They made a cautious, watchful start in Yaounde, wary of the potential threat of Ghana’s two young wingers, Kamaldeen Sulemana and Joseph Paintsil. Morocco had lined up in what at times resembled a back three, so deep was Samy Mmaee in the midfield, the better to maximise the attacking impulse of the full-backs Achraf Hakimi and Adam Masina.
That pair needed mobile, alert support behind them to cover for Sulemana’s darts into wide space. Hakimi, at right back, versus the 19-year-old Sulemana would turn into quite a duel. It’s one with fresh baggage. Sulemana is at French club Rennes, and was decisive from his left-wing position in their victory, last October, against Hakimi’s Paris Saint-Germain.
That night, Hakimi learned the hard way that Sulemana is strong on either foot, and that he has jets in his heels. The Ghanaian troubled his illustrious marker two or three times in the first half and set off on an ambitious counter-attacking run after Hakimi had been careless in possession. The move ran out of steam with a heavy touch from Sulemana. So did Paintsil’s bold slalom shortly before half time, ending in a wild shot off target.
Morocco had more of the ball, but in a contest that was more feisty than fluent in its first hour, their best openings came from set-pieces. Ghana conceded a series of free-kicks in areas of threat but it would be a while before Morocco’s designated dead-ball deliverers found their radars. When that happens, the mind is bound to wander to the set-piece expertise of Chelsea’s Hakim Ziyech, who was left out the Afcon squad by head coach Vahid Halilhodzic after he criticised Ziyech’s attitude during an international week last September.
After Imran Louza had wasted a pair of free-kicks near the Ghana penalty area, Boufal offered some improvement, arrowing in a cross that Roman Saiss nodded just over the crossbar. There were nimble turns into space by Selim Amallah, some astute prompts from Boufal but little, until the last 10 minutes, to alarm Joe Wollacott, the Ghana goalkeeper.
Morocco may look more potent once Youssef En Nesyri, the Sevilla centre-forward, who missed Monday’s fixture recuperating from a minor injury, is back in the side. They ended up grateful to En-Nesyri’s club colleague, Yassine Bounou, for preserving their clean sheet. Bounou saved athletically from Paintsil’s volley after Sulemana had chased down a long ball, and his cross was cleared only as far as Paintsil. It was one of two promising Ghana breaks, Andre Ayew lifting a shot off target earlier in the second half.
Boufal struck the winner after Ghana had twice failed to clear danger in their own penalty area, the winger seizing on a loose ball. The Al Ain striker Soufiane Rahimi, on as a substitute, might have doubled the score but for a sharp Wollacott save. Morocco had finished much the stronger side. Ghana now have ground to make up to ensure they emerge from the group.
