Sofiane Boufal struck brilliantly after 80 minutes to gift Morocco a 1-0 win over Ghana in the Group C opener of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) at Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium in Cameroon on Monday.
The Black Stars played second fiddle to the Atlas Lions throughout the game after an explosive start.
Milovan Rajevac’s side will next face Gabon in the second group game on January 14 while Morocco battle Comoros on the same day.
Ghana started the game on the front foot, winning three corners in five minutes as Kamaldeen Sulemana started to show glimpses of his trickery early in the game.
The Black Stars’ fine start did not last as the Atlas Lions controlled the game from them to the end of the first period.
Morocco threatened to break the deadlock in 40 minutes when Romain Saiss flipped just over the bar after a set-piece was given away at the edge of the box by Thomas Partey.
Ghana got two chances in succession after fifty minutes through Joseph Paintsil’s solo run down the middle and Jordan Ayew’s byline cross, but none was on target.
Joseph Paintsil forced a brilliant save from Yassine Bounou after 72 minutes when he audaciously curled towards goal from Sulemana’s cutback.
A Ghana defensive mishap gifted Morocco the lead after 83 minutes. Sofiane Boufal fired in from close range to break the hearts of Ghanaians.
Goalkeeper Wollacott produced a great stop toward the end of the game to deny Morocco a second.
Morocco marched to a deserved win at the end.
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