AFCON
AFCON 2021: Points of interest ahead of titanic Morocco v Ghana clash
The star match of the quartet games this Monday is obviously the duel of Morocco and Ghana. It will be a kind of early final. Two giants of African football will be playing at the Stade Ahmadou Ahidjo in Yaoundé.
● Morocco and Ghana have met three times previously at the Africa Cup of Nations, all in the group phase – their head-to-head record is perfectly balanced with one win each and one draw. Meanwhile, these three games have only produced three goals.
● This is Morocco’s 18th participation in the Africa Cup of Nations – their only title dates back to 1976 and the only time they’ve reached the final since then was in 2004, losing 2-1 against hosts Tunisia. 2004 was also the last time they made it past the quarter-finals.
● Morocco conceded only one goal in six games during qualifying for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations, the lowest tally of the 24 teams at this year’s tournament.
● This is Ghana’s 23rd appearance in the Africa Cup of Nations, the most after Egypt (25) and Cote d’Ivoire (24). The Black Stars won the Africa Cup of Nations in four of their first seven appearances (1963, 1965, 1978, 1982) but have won none of their subsequent 15. They have nevertheless reached the semi-finals in six of the last seven editions, more than any other team over that period.
● Ghana’s match against Morocco will be their 100th in the Africa Cup of Nations. The Black Stars join Egypt as the only teams to reach that landmark.
● Since 2008, Ghana’s André Ayew has played more minutes (2,474) than any other player in the Africa Cup of Nations. He is Ghana’s leading scorer in the tournament (9 goals), having found the net in each of his last five AFCON participations.
According to Libya’s news outlets, there are palpable fears in the Libya national team which faces successive crises and trying to avoid early elimination from the Africa Cup of Nations qualifying series.
The team which faces the Super Eagles this week has been plagued with players’ absences occasioned by injuries and boycotts.
The coach recently appointed has revealed the names of players refusing to represent the national team.
In a press conference held on Saturday, Coach Nasser Al-Hadhiri remarked that the absence of several players were due to real injuries.
In that class are Ahmed Al-Tarbi, a defender of Ahli Tripoli; Mohammed Al-Tabbal of Al-Nasr club and Ali Youssef who also suffered the injury while playing with Tunisia’s Club Africaine.
If the Libyan national team sticks to plans, the players are expected to have arrived in Nigeria ahead of their Thursday’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifying duel in Uyo.
With most players drawn from the domestic league, the national team had daily training sessions in Tripoli under coach Nasser Al-Hadhiri and his assistants Akram Al-Hammami and Abu Bakr Al-Hark.
However, according to media sources in Libya, the team faces injury worries even though the absence of Victor Osimhen in the Nigerian squad is being celebrated.
Even though it did not mention the injured Libyan players, Libya Al-Ahrar Channel reports that replacements were found in Al-Tahadi FC defender, Mohammed Khalil and Al-Nasr midfielder, Abdullah Abdul Rahim as well as Al-Akhdar winger, Faraj Ghaidhan. They take the places of the absent regular players.
Franck Mawuena who recently renewed his contract with Remo Stars has received a call-up to the Togolese squad for this week’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match. He had previously featured in the Belgian League.
He was part of the Remo Stars squad that finished second in the Nigeria Premier league last season. He scored six goals.
Togo will be away to Algeria on Thursday before hosting the reversed fixture on 14 October.
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