Morocco missed the chance to
seal early qualification for the knockout stage of the 2025 Africa Cup of
Nations after Lassine Sinayoko’s second-half penalty earned Mali a 1-1 draw in
Rabat on Friday.
The Group A encounter at the
Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium was defined by two spot-kicks, with Brahim Diaz
putting the hosts ahead deep into first-half stoppage time before Sinayoko
restored parity on 64 minutes.
The draw ended Morocco’s
world-record winning streak, which had stretched to 19 matches following their
2-0 opening victory over Comoros. Despite the setback, the Atlas Lions remain
top of Group A with four points from two games, though qualification for the
last 16 is not yet guaranteed.
Mali now sit on two points,
level with Zambia, who earlier played out a goalless draw with Comoros in
Casablanca.
Morocco dominated much of
the first half and were rewarded just before the break when Mali defender
Nathan Gassama handled the ball inside the box while attempting to stop Diaz.
After a VAR review, the referee awarded a penalty, which Diaz calmly converted
for his second goal of the tournament.
However, Walid Regragui’s
side failed to maintain their intensity after the interval, allowing Mali back
into the contest. The West Africans were handed a penalty of their own when
Sinayoko was brought down by Jawad El Yamiq. Following another VAR check, the
decision stood, and the Auxerre forward made no mistake from the spot.
Morocco pushed for a winner
late on, with substitute Youssef En-Nesyri denied by an excellent save from
Mali goalkeeper Djigui Diarra. The visitors held firm through 10 minutes of
stoppage time to secure a valuable point, drawing jeers from sections of the
home crowd at the final whistle.
Morocco will confirm their
place in the knockout stage if they defeat Zambia in their final group match on
Monday.
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