Late Penalties Deny Morocco As Zambia, Comoros Draw Blanks In Group A
Morocco were held to a dramatic 1-1 draw by Mali after both sides scored from the penalty spot, while Zambia and Comoros played out a goalless stalemate in a tense Africa Cup of Nations Group A double header.
Group A delivered high drama and stubborn resistance on Friday night as Morocco and Mali shared the points in Rabat, before Zambia and Comoros cancelled each other out in a cagey 0-0 draw in Casablanca.
Morocco started strongly at the Stade Prince Moulay Abdallah, dominating possession and pinning Mali deep in their own half. The Atlas Lions moved the ball with confidence through midfield, with Brahim Diaz and Azzedine Ounahi pulling the strings and forcing Mali into repeated fouls.
The breakthrough came deep into first half stoppage time when VAR intervened to award Morocco a penalty for a handball in the box. Brahim Diaz stepped up and calmly rolled his spot kick into the bottom corner to give the hosts a deserved 1-0 lead at the break.
Mali emerged with renewed belief in the second half and began to match Morocco physically, disrupting their rhythm with aggressive pressing and quick transitions. Their persistence paid off just after the hour mark when Lassine Sinayoko was brought down in the area. After another VAR review, the striker dusted himself off and converted from the spot to level the score at 1-1.
The final stages were frantic as Morocco pushed hard for a winner, throwing on fresh attackers and piling pressure on the Malian defence. Djigui Diarra stood firm in goal for Mali, producing crucial saves late on, while Morocco were left frustrated despite ten minutes of added time.
Earlier in the evening, Zambia and Comoros battled to a scoreless draw at the Stade Mohammed V in a match defined by organisation, missed chances, and VAR drama. Comoros briefly thought they had taken the lead in the first half, only for a goal to be ruled out after review.
Zambia pressed more aggressively in the second half, with Patson Daka and Kings Kangwa testing the Comoros defence, but Yannick Pandor produced a solid performance in goal to keep his clean sheet intact. Both sides showed urgency in the closing minutes, yet neither could find the decisive moment.
The results leave Group A finely balanced heading into the final round of matches. Morocco remain in control but will be disappointed not to have secured maximum points, while Mali, Zambia, and Comoros all remain firmly in the hunt after disciplined and resilient displays.
