Guinea vs. Morocco - Open Thread

Guinea 3-2 Morocco FINAL

11′, 62′ (pen) Feindounou, 59′ Bangoura — 60′ Aboucherouane, 89′ Ouaddou

Group A
Date: Thursday, 24 January
Time: 1700 GMT
Location: Ohene Djan Stadium, Accra

Hi and welcome to Guinea-Morocco. It’s going to be a good one. Survival is on the line for Guinea, and the chance to go top of the group for Morocco. Guinea gains a top player over Sunday’s game, Morocco loses one from Monday’s. Guinea will be in Red, Morocco in white.

90 + 4′ The shot goes high. The whistle blows at last. Guinea wins, 3-2. What a game!!!!

90 + 3′ Handball against Guinea, right outside the box just to the left of goal.

90′ Three minutes of stoppage time. Can Guinea hold on?

89′ GOAL!!!! Morocco’s completely unmarked Ouaddou scores at last with a lovely header.

84′ Chamakh = Moroccan Cristiano Ronaldo. Does anybody else think so?

81′ Zayatte in, I. Camara out for Guinea at left back.

80′ El Moubarkhi in for Zerka. It looks like there was a handball in the box by Guinea, but no penalty given.

78′ Mansare out, Sacko in for Guinea. Let’s go for some more defense here.

77′ Karamoko Cisse in for Youla. And how did Chamakh get on the field for Morocco? Missed that one.

71′ Guinea is struggling and Morocco is threatening. It looks like just a matter of time till we see another goal.

67′ Red card for Feindounou. Just when you thought it was over, Feindounou retaliates for a foot stomp with a kick. Right in front of the referee. Not smart. They now have to hold on for 23+ more minutes.

63′ GOAL! (pen) Guinea. Holy crap, I’m glad I didn’t take a trip to the kitchen for another cup of coffee.

62′ Foul in the box. The referee points to the spot for Guinea.

60′ GOAL!!! The substitute Aboucherouane immediately responds with a charge down the field and a magnificent blast into the goal.

59′ GOAL!!! Guinea. Bangoura puts in a lovely Feindounou pass.

59′ Morocco threatens again, but in the end Zerka puts it over the crossbar.

57′ Sylla is booked, mostly for accumulation of fouls.

56′ Substitution. Aboucherouane on, Kharja off for Morocco.

54′ This is the day to abuse Zerka. Everybody’s beating him up today.

47′ Jabi booked for a handball. The free kick starts a sustained and very dangerous possession for Morocco that ends when Camara tips a shot over the crossbar. The corner goes nowhere and Guinea breathes again.

46′ We’re underway.

Halftime notes: Chamakh isn’t being subbed in at the half. What’s up with that? And the stadium is starting to fill up at last for the Ghana game.

45 + 2 Halftime. Morocco was looking threatening toward the end of the half, and they’re managing to maintain possession better as the game goes on. I wouldn’t count them out just yet.

45 + 1 2 minutes of stoppage time

44′ Guinea coach Nouzaret looks like he’s on the verge of a heart attack. The announcer notes that the calls definitely seem to be going guinea’s way. True, no?

42′ Morocco has 54% possession, but they’re not doing much with it.

39′ Another free kick for Guinea. It leads to a corner, which also goes nowhere. Tempers are starting to fray.

36′ Mansare sends a free kick just over the crossbar. The foul was questionable, so it’s a just result. Even so, Guinea looks dangerous on set pieces.

34′ Now Youla gets sent to the touchline to deal with his rings. Twice in one game?

32′ Youla is booked for dissent. (?) The free kick goes nowhere, but Morocco is starting to look more threatening.

30′ m. Cisse gives away a dangerous free kick right outside the box, directly in front of goal

25′ Feindounou is sent to the sidelines to get his wedding ring re-taped.

24′ Lovely save by Camara of a hard shot by Hadji.

18′ Mohamed Cisse is booked for what I think was a high tackle. (Sorry, I was typing and didn’t actually see it.)

11′ GOAL!!! Guinea. Feindounou puts in a beautiful curling free kick. The Moroccan keeper didn’t even see it coming.

2′ The grass has been cut. Yea!

0′ We’re underway

Preview

Guinea: This is a must-win game for Guinea; a loss all but guarantees that they won’t advance past the group stage. Because their final game is with minnows Namibia, though, they have at least a fair chance of going through with a positive result. The good news for the Guinea team is that Fode Mansare, who was suspended for the first game, will be available to play in this one.

Morocco: Very bad news for Morocco: Soufiane Alloudi, who scored a hat trick on Monday, won’t be available for this game. He took a knee-high tackle in the second half of the game with Namibia and had to be substituted out. Coach Henri Michel is hoping he will be better before the Ghana game next week.

Performance to date:

Morocco dismantled Namibia on Monday, 5-1. They are currently top of the group on with three points, leading Ghana on goal differential.

Guinea lost to Ghana on Sunday, 1-2. They’re currently tied for the bottom of the group with Namibia with 0 points.

Blogs

Blogger Mahmoud is currently running our Morocco blog. The Guinea blog is available if you’re feeling the calling.