Morocco’s narrow victory over Mali in the semifinals of the tournament sets the stage for an all-North African final against Egypt. It was a hard-fought match where credit is due to Mali for putting up a strong fight. They constantly bounced back every time they fell behind.
Mali’s Mamadou Diambou scored a stunning equalizer in the 66th minute, responding to Zakaria El Ouhadi’s goal that had given Morocco the lead in the first half. With the game tied, extra time was needed to determine the winner.
In the second half of extra time, Morocco regained the lead through Amine El Ouzzani’s goal in the 92nd minute. However, Issoufi Maiga and his teammates showed great resilience, equalizing in the 116th minute through Maiga’s effort, forcing the match to be decided by a penalty shootout.
Mali’s Boubacar Traore missed the first penalty, giving Morocco a crucial advantage which they managed to hold onto and ultimately win the shootout.
Morocco will face their North African rivals, Egypt, in the final. The highly anticipated match is scheduled for Saturday, July 8, 2023.
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