AFCON 2024: Morocco Held to Draw by Mali – Lions Struggle

We cannot say that Morocco does things by halves. In a Prince Moulay Abdellah stadium full to bursting and with a distinguished guest – Kylian Mbappé, passing through Rabat during his vacation, Achraf Hakimi jersey on his back – the Atlas Lions put their heart into the work with an ambitious and versatile eleven. Ingredients which should make Regragui say that the scales would end up tipping in his favor, once again. However, the problem remains the same as against the Comoros. The construction, promising and attractive in certain sequences, struggles to overtake the opposing block.

The Lions purr

This paralysis does not help the last links in the chain. Hero of the first match with his sensational return, Ayoub El Kaabi did not achieve the same success, surrounded between the control towers of the Eagles’ rearguard. Ismaël Saibari had two clear opportunities to force the opposing lock, without success. The trigger came, once again, from the feet of Brahim Diaz. At the origin of the penalty obtained during the opening match and scorer in the latter, the Real striker obtained and then transformed a penalty for a handball in the area (45th + 5).

Without outclassing its opponent or impressing, the host country seemed headed for another lukewarm success, while awaiting fever during the tough matches. Finally, the temperature rise came earlier than expected. First on an altercation between Gaoussou Diarra and Brahim Diaz shortly before the hour mark. Then, a few minutes later, on an uncontrolled tackle from Jawad El Yamiq, starter since Romain Saïss’ injury. Penalty, before the equalizer signed Lassine Sinayoko. Tension, mixed with doubt, gripped the atmosphere in Rabat, a foretaste of the heights of stress that Morocco intends to experience during “its” competition.

According to Azzedine Ounahi, the Lions are not yet ready, at least for the duration of a meeting. “I think we were very good in the first half, we had density, we had opportunities to score. Afterwards in the second half, we did not get into the matchadmits the industry frankly at the microphone of BeIn Sports. We stopped playing, we suffered from the Malians’ game. It’s a match that will help us for the rest of the competition. We must know that the match is 90 minutes and not just a first half.”

Morocco-Mali, Africa Cup 2025

Credit: Getty Images

Sufficiency or too much pressure, Morocco will have to tame its problems before the third match against Zambia, which intends to sell its skin dearly. It’s up to Regragui to locate where the evil comes from. Changes in men could breathe new life. Or, the lesson received by disciplined and daring Eagles will allow the Lions to put their manes back in place. It would be better because other defenses, at least as dense as that of Mali, will be waiting for them firmly.