Another stalemate in Group A
It was a game of two of halves at the National Stadium, in which Morocco dominated the first period of play before Angola controlled the second, but neither could find the back of the net as they shared the spoils in a frustrating goalless draw.
Following South Africa and Cape Verde’s goalless draw the pressure was on the two teams to deliver the goals and make the fixture the better game of the evening, but it was not to be.
Angola’s shot-stopper was immediately put to the test, inside the first ten minutes of the game, through a strike from outside the area by Mounir El Hamdaoui.
The Palancas Negras struggled to turn around Morocco’s mobile and organised style of play which saw the North African’s dominate the opening 20 minutes of the game.
Set plays seemed to be the only way in which Angola looked likely to score and they were fed the opportunity by Manucho, with a worked ball into the box, just before the half hour mark, but it was signaled for offside.
The misfiring continued until the end of the first 45 when Adil Hermach struck a woeful effort over the bar, seeing 135 minutes of the tournament pass without a goal.
In order to change the dynamics of the game Gastavo Ferrin opted to bring in Guilherme Afonso at the start of the break, seeing Mingo Bile come off in his place.
Nervy moments struck the Moroccan camp when Abdelhahim El Kaoutari nearly deflected the ball into the back of his own net, as Angola started to take a hold of the momentum of the game.
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Younes Belhanda was brought on for his creative skill and flair and it almost paid off immediately when he twisted and turned in the box to unleash a 68th minute shot which went just wide.
Manucho had the perfect opportunity to burry a late goal with two minutes to go, but he disappointingly struck his effort wide, as the game saw out a goalless draw between the two teams.
Angola: (0) 0
Morocco: (0) 0
Teams:
Angola: Lama, Bastos, Pirolito, Dani Massunguna, Lunguihna (Airosa 78’), Mingo Bile (Afonso 46’), Dede, Miguel Quiame, Gerlado (Gilberto 82’), Manucho, Matues
Morocco: Lamyarghiri, El Kaoutari, Achchakir, El Adoua, Benatia, Hermach, El Ahmadi (Belghazouani 82’), Amrabat, Barrada ( Belhanda 63’), Assaidi, El Hamdaoui ( El Arabi 70’)
