~ WC / ACN 2006 : Unimpressive Morocco stay top after win over Malawi ~

[HOUDA-K]

By Fahd Chafik
6/5/2005



Youssef Hadji scored a double to seal the Atlas Lions a strenuous 4-1 victory over Malawi Saturday in a World Cup and African Cup of Nations qualifier in Rabat.

The result sees Morocco remain at the top of Group 5 on 15 points, while Malawi are contenting themselves with the last spot on three.

The visitors started the game on a positive note, shocking their hosts with a bolt-from-the-blue opener through their intransigent striker Chipatala Emmanuel Eka, whose low-shot found its way past Moroccan keeper Khalid Sinouh.

Malawi had twice come close to scoring when Kanyenda Esau's volley just missed the net in the 3rd minute before Eka's header went inches over the cross bar.

But the Atlas Lions, pepped up by an ebullient Moulay Abdallah Stadium crowd, did not let their heads drop, as they retaliated at the double.

Striker Marouane Chamakh was brought down inside the box five minutes after the Malawi goal, and midfielder Youssef Safri sent keeper Swadick the wrong way from the resulting penalty, putting Morocco back on track.

Badou Zaki's side regained confidence after the equalizer, and defender Abdesslam Ouadou was about to snatch a second midway through the first half when a goalmouth scramble saw his strike cleared by the Malawian goalie.

Zippy Youssef Hadji put the home side ahead inside 20 minutes with a masterly diving header from Talal El Karkouri's right-flank cross.

Houssine Kharja was then denied by the crossbar following an exquisite curling shot from the edge of the area.

Early in the second half, Moha tried a lob from nearly 35 metres, but his effort ended up smoothly in the keeper's hand.

The out-of-form Osasuna striker was replaced by Feyenoord newly-signed Ali Boussaboun on the stroke of the hour.

The substitution proved effective as the Holland-based striker injected new blood in the Atlas Lions' attack.

Boussaboun made his presence felt straightaway when he streaked in the left flank and fired a strike inches wide, before opportunistic Houssine Kharja cashed in on a rebound from Malawi defence to grab Morocco's third with 15 minutes to go.

The goal seemed to whet the Atlas Lions appetite, and Hadji wrapped up the fiesta with a fine close-range goal 13 minutes from time following Boussaboun's good work in the right side.

“The game wasn't easy at all, and the goal we conceded in the first minutes was a kind of turning point,” said the Atlas Lions manager Badou Zaki in the post-match press conference.

“We knew perfectly well that Malawi didn't come to lose. I was more concerned with the result than with the fashion. And that was my message to the players.

“Winning the game was essential for us. The score doesn't really matter. You could win 1-0 or 5-0 but the result is one ultimately, since you get three points in both cases,” concluded Zaki.

Malawi coach Osman Yasin conceded his team's defeat, underlining that his players were just about to spoil Morocco's apple-cart.

“We were playing a strong side tonight. We tried to block them in midfield, and we managed to do that to some extent. But towards the end we lost concentration, and the result was that we were punished by two goals in the last 15 minutes,” he said.

“We're now mathematically out of the run for the World Cup, but still have some chances concerning the African Cup of Nations. If we win our remaining games, we will definitely book our ticket to Egypt.”

In the other Group 5 clash, Tunisia notched up an easy 3-1 victory away to Botswana. The result means the African Champions move to the second place with 11 points out of six games.

Guinea and Kenya meet on Sunday in the remaining Group 5 tie.

[coolpharess]

I watched the game ...we have messed many chances to score..
I'm still not confident about the players ...
some are not yet ready to wear the green/red shirt to represent morocco..and not just play for fun but playing to win..and not just winning to move up to qualification ...
the real love is the world cup baby yes why not
winning the world cup inshallah
what do you guys think?
psss houda khti your signature does me a vertigo