Doctors find heart lesions on Gabon and Arsenal star Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

Morocco has qualified for the knockout rounds after two games

Gabon's forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang missed the game against Ghana. AFP
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Gabon and Arsenal forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has been diagnosed with heart lesions at the Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon after contracting coronavirus.

This ruled Aubameyang out of Friday’s game against Ghana and put the rest of his role in the Africa Cup in doubt.

The “cardiac lesions” were found in a check by Confederation of African Football medical officials, who had examined Aubameyang to ensure he was good to play after returning following a positive Covid-19 test, the Gabon federation said in a statement.

After two games, Morocco has qualified for the knockout rounds with six points, Gabon is on four points, Ghana on one point and Comoros on zero.

Ghana's hopes of qualifying remain in the balance after they conceded a late equaliser to draw 1-1 with Gabon, without their captain Aubameyang playing, on Friday.

Andre Ayew gave the Black Stars the lead but Jim Allevinah's superb 88th-minute strike earned Gabon a point that leaves them in a strong position to reach the knockout phase.

It was a bitter end to the game for the four-time champions, who were furious that Gabon scored after opting not to return the ball when Ghana put it out of play after one of the Gabon players went down injured.

After a shoving match broke out on the pitch at full-time, the referee summoned a Ghanaian back out from the dressing room to brandish a red card.

The player in question appeared to be Benjamin Tetteh, with television pictures showing that he punched Gabon's Aaron Boupendza during the melee.

Morocco made it two wins and two clean sheets from two matches at this Afcon as they beat tournament debutants the Comoros 2-0.

Selim Amallah gave the 1976 champions an early lead and then set up substitute Zakaria Aboukhlal to seal the win a minute from time with a goal that was initially disallowed for offside before being given following a VAR check.

In between, Vahid Halilhodzic's Moroccan side were regularly frustrated as Nayef Aguerd hit the underside of the crossbar with a header and Comoros goalkeeper Salim Ben Boina produced some heroic saves.

Boina, who plays in France's amateur regional fifth tier, produced a remarkable quadruple save on his line and then kept out a late Youssef En-Nesyri penalty.

Updated: January 14, 2022, 11:36 PM