|
|
|
| January 22, 2006 | Sunday | Zilhaj 21, 1426 |
Drogba makes Morocco pay the penalty
CAIRO, Jan 21: A first-half penalty by the Ivory Coast’s star striker Didier Drogba handed his side a fortunate 1-0 victory over Morocco in their African Nations Cup Group A match on Saturday.
Drogba’s 18th goal in his 25th international - he was to be replaced later on - was enough to put them alongside hosts Egypt at the top of the group but his side suggested they will offer little at the World Cup later this year.
Morocco - who had the majority of the 8,000 fans in a near deserted stadium that holds 74,000 - had the early running of the clash with Youssef Chippo flashing a header past the post of Jean-Jacques Tizie from a corner in the fourth minute.
The Ivory Coast defence - which saw veteran central defender and usual skipper Cyril Domoraud dropped to the bench - was giving cause for concern as both Arsenal defender Emmanuel Eboue and clubmate Kolo Toure sliced clearances.
It was Toure, winning his 36th cap, who was found wanting in the 10th minute as Bordeaux’ Marouane Chamakh outjumped the Arsenal defender and met Mohammed Yaacoubi’s great cross but his header just went wide of the post.
Ivory Coast at last produced something in attack in the 25th minute as Kanga Akale broke free into the box but his effort was blocked by ‘keeper Tarik El Jarmouni and Drogba’s header was hacked off the line by veteran Spurs defender Nouredine Naybet.
Two minutes later Ivory Coast made more inroads down the left with Bonaventure Kalou releasing Akale, and his cross seemed destined for Drogba but once again Naybet got a crucial deflection fully justifying his recall to the international scene just before the tournament.
However the dodgy Ivory Coast defence was at sixes and sevens a minute later when Chamakh headed onto Youssef Hadji but his shot scraped the post much to Tizie’s relief.
Fortune did not favour the Moroccans, however, as in the 39th minute Drogba was tugged back by Hoalid Regragui trying to run onto Emerse Fae’s excellent through ball and from the resulting penalty the Chelsea striker made no mistake.
Morocco almost levelled a minute later as a freekick by Talal El Karkouri just outside the area took a huge deflection but Tizie did brilliantly to stop it and the ball was eventually cleared - though Akale was fortunate not to be penalised for elbowing a Moroccan.
Still the Ivory Coast defence gave cause for concern as Chamakh outjumped Eboue but once again Tizie was equal to the task and saved his header.
Morocco came out firing on all cylinders in the second-half and with the old legs of Hadji pulling the strings with some fine individual skill and forced four corners in the opening quarter of an hour.
Ivory Coast coach Henri Michel then took the odd step of removing Drogba with over 25 minutes remaining and replaced him with the inexperienced Arouna Kone, leaving them without both their leading marksmen as Aruna Dindane had to return home because of his baby daughter’s death.
Egypt down Libya
Earlier on Friday, Egypt’s bid to win a record fifth African Nations Cup title got off to a winning start when they beat Libya 3-0 in their opening Group A clash.
First-half goals by star striker Mido - surprisingly his first ever in three Nations Cup finals — and a superb freekick by Mohammed Abou Terika ensured no repeat of Libya’s victory in the qualifiers.
Inspirational captain Ahmed Hasan added a third following up Mido’s late second half penalty after it had been saved by Muftah Ghzalla, who had come on after Luis Agustini had been red carded.—Agencies
|
|
|
|
