Yaounde, January 10 (BNA): Sadio Mane saved Senegal with a penalty kick in the 97th minute to beat Zimbabwe 1-0, while Morocco won their first African Cup of Nations weightlifting match with a late goal to beat Ghana 1-0. Monday.
Neither match produced high-quality football despite the participation of three contenders for the title. It did not disappoint many fans in Cameroon, as both were played in front of sparse crowds as the African Championship returned to one of its perennial problems.
The tournament often suffers from low attendance when the host country is not playing. This year, only people who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 are allowed into stadiums, meaning crowds in Cameroon may be smaller than usual.
Senegal, the best team in Africa, opened their campaign on the second day of the tournament with an unconvincing win in Group B over a team ranked 101st behind them. It was a victory though.
Mane sent goalkeeper Petros Mahari the wrong way and hit the late penalty kick in the left corner of the Koekong Stadium in the city of Bafoussam, western Cameroon.
The Liverpool striker took his chance after punishing Zimbabwean midfielder Kelvin Madzungwe for a handball in the fourth minute of stoppage time as the match suddenly ended in drama.
Zimbabwe strongly protested against the referee, but referee Mario Escobar of Guatemala stuck to his decision after referring to a video review used in every African Cup match for the first time. Madzungwe threw himself on the ground in an attempt to block a shot and the ball hit his arm.
Mane’s penalty was the final kick of the match as Escobar exploded full-time once Zimbabwe resumed.
Senegal played without goalkeeper Edward Mendy and captain Kalidou Koulibaly, who were among a group of players who were excluded from the match after they tested positive for the Corona virus.
There have been virus outbreaks in many of the 24 teams in the run-up to the tournament and it looks like the Africa Cup will run through them.
Guinea beat Malawi 1-0 in the other Group B match today, with a first-half goal by Issiaga Sylla. Guinea-Malawi followed the Senegal-Zimbabwe match at the same stadium.
Morocco against Ghana at Ahmedou Ahidjo Stadium in Yaounde seemed to header 0-0 when Sofiane Boufal hit a rebound that hit the Ghana defender to score Morocco in the 83rd minute.
Ghana captain Andre Ayew ended the match with a bandage wrapped around his head and blood seeping through it after a head-fight with Moroccan captain Roman Sais.
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