Africa Cup of Nations

MOROCCO continue their AFCON challenge this afternoon against Comoros.Sofiane Boufal scored the only goal of the game as Morocco kicked off their Africa Cup of Nations campaign with a 1-0 win over Ghana.
While Comoros lost out in their opener, 1-0 to Gabon.
Gabon vs Ghana follows this afternoon to complete Group C’s fixtures.

TV/ live stream: Sky Sports Main Event, Football
Morocco XI: Bono, Aguerd, S Amrabat, Masina, Hakimi, Louza, Saiss, Amallah, Boufal, Tissoudali, El Kaabi
Comoros XI: Ben Boina, Youssouf, Abdullah, Abdou, Youssouf, M’Dahoma, M’Changama, Bakari, Selemani, Bachirou, Ben Nabouhane

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Morocco 0 Comoros 0
6. We have our first corner of the game and it goes predictably to Morocco.
The corner is swung in and Ben Boina gets a solid fist on it and a much needed early feel of the ball.
Morocco 0 Comoros 0
2. A clumsy challenge from the Comoros defender goes unnoticed by officials and VAR, justified by a late flag shown by the linesman indicating an offside player.
Morocco 0 Comoros 0
1. Morocco get us underway here launching the ball forward showing their intent for the game today….
Kick-off moments away….
As the anthems are sung by the players of both teams, we are only moments away from kick-off.
Comoros only joined FIFA in 2005 but has seen the interest in football boom since this date.
You can see how much it means to them to make the people back home happy.
Tactically minded
As the minnows in this tournament in their first appearance, Comoros seem confident in knowing what they have to do to stand any chance of winning.
Tactics will be key as they look to nullify Morocco’s more talented squad.
An early Morocco goal could really test the Comoros players’ spirit.
Chance to qualify
If Gabon and Morocco can both win today they will qualify for the next round, leaving them the luxury of being able to rest players in their final games.
All to play for their opponents who could bomb out of the tournament after only two games played.
Middle of the park
Some familiar faces will look to control the centre of midfield for Morocco with Imran Louza (Watford) and Romain Saiss (Wolves) pulling the strings.
Sofiane Boufal plays in the role just behind the striker, hoping to add to his AFCON tally after scoring the winner in the opening game.
PSG’s Achraf Hakimi is always one to watch in this Morocco team.
Subs:
Abdallah, Alhadhur, Zahary, Ali Mohamed, Aboubakari, M’Madi, Youssouf, Bourhane, Mogni, Ahamada, Moussa, Mohamed
Comoros line-up (5-3-2)
Ben Boina, Youssouf, Abdullah, Abdou, Youssouf, M’Dahoma, M’Changama, Bakari, Selemani, Bachirou, Ben Nabouhane
Subs:
Ounahi, El-Haddadi, Fajr, Mohamedi, Chair, Aboukhlal, Chakla, En-Nesyri, Alakouch, Tagnaouti, Mmaee, Rahimi
Morocco line-up (4-2-3-1)
Bono, Aguerd, S Amrabat, Masina, Hakimi, Louza, Saiss, Amallah, Boufal, Tissoudali, El Kaabi
That winning feeling
Morocco are currently on a winning streak of 10 games.
This includes all six of their World Cup Qualifying matches.
Can Comoros cause an upset here today?
Man of the Match:
Naby Keita, Guinea’s tough tackling captain, will feel his side did what they needed to do here today.
Keeping their noses in front of Senegal going into the last game leaves their destiny in their own hands.
FT: Senegal 0 Guinea 0
Despite having the better of the second half, Guinea defended resolutely and kept Senegal out.
This result will suit Guinea more than Senegal as they stay top.
Newbies to AFCON
Comoros have qualified for their very first AFCON tournament.
Against Gabon in their opening game, Comoros dominated before conceding an early goal.
This seemed to knock the debutant’s confidence and they struggled to create anything until a chance late on caused the Gabon keeper problems.
Welcome back AFCON fans
Today Morocco against Comoros is the focus of our attention.
Meanwhile in the early kick off Senegal and Guinea are drawing 0-0 deep into the second half.
A draw in this game would leave Guinea top of the group with Senegal in second place, level on points.
Like Senegal, Morocco are one of the fancied teams to win AFCON this year.
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LIVERPOOL interest is high in AFCON today as Sadio Mane’s Senegal take on Naby Keita’s Guinea.Both teams kicked off their AFCON challenge with 1-0 wins – Senegal over Zimbabwe and Guinea over Malawi.
Top of the Group B is at stake this afternoon, with the winners more than likely to qualify for the knockout stages of the competition with victory today.

Kick-off: 1pm GMT
TV/ live stream: Sky Sports Football, Premier League
Senegal XI: Dieng, Mbaye, Cisse, Diallo, Ciss, Kouyate, Loum, Sarr, Mane, Thiam, Dia
Guinea XI: A Keita, Sylla, Conte, Camara, Sow, Cisse, N Keita, Diawara, Moriba, Bayo, Guilavogui

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Game of few chances
Each team probably had one golden chance to score in the game.
Morgan Guilavogui had the opportunity to put Guinea ahead in the first half, but fired straight at Seny Dieng from close range.
Senegal then improved after the break, and went close through Abdou Diallo.
He drew an excellent save out of Aly Keita following a powerful header from a corner, which the Guinea keeper brilliantly tipped over the bar.
But apart from that it was a game of few chances, and on reflection 0-0 is probably the right result.
Both teams are still yet to concede in this year’s tournament, but perhaps slightly worryingly, both have only scored once as well.
Full time – Senegal 0-0 Guinea
PEEEP! That will be full time!
Liverpool team-mates Sadio Mane and Naby Keita play out a drab 0-0 draw.
It takes both teams to four points after two games, and both are well placed to qualify for the knockout stages of the competition.
The other two teams in Group B, Malawi and Zimbabwe, face off later on this afternoon.
Senegal 0-0 Guinea
91. This one is well and truly petering out towards full time.
Guinea are happy to clear downfield when they get the ball and give it back to Senegal, but Mane and Co can’t do anything with it when they have it.
Senegal 0-0 Guinea
90. Three minutes of added time are signalled by the fourth official.
Senegal won in added time last time out, could they repeat the feat once more today?
Senegal 0-0 Guinea
89. A substitution for both teams here.
Morgan Guilavogui is being replaced by Morlaye Sylla for Guinea, and Bouna Sarr is off for Keita Balde for Senegal.
Senegal 0-0 Guinea
88. Ibrahima Conte takes… and it sails high over the crossbar.
That’s a waste.
Will it be the last chance for Guinea?
We’re into the final two minutes of the 90.
Senegal 0-0 Guinea
87. This time Keita gets a free kick in dangerous area!
He’s felled 20 yards out from goal, and the referee blows for a free kick.
Now then…
Senegal 0-0 Guinea
85. Naby Keita goes down on the edge of the box and looks towards referee Bamlak Tessema.
He gets nothing, to Keita’s dismay, and the Liverpool man has a right go at the official.
Keita is booked for his troubles, and is now the fourth Guinea player to be shown a yellow card.
Senegal 0-0 Guinea
83. Guinea goalkeeper Aly Keita is into the book now for time-wasting after taking an absolute age to lumber up and take a goal kick.
Guinea are more than happy with the draw it seems.
Senegal 0-0 Guinea
82. Sarr goes for goal from the free kick, but his effort is nowhere near troubling Keita in goal.
It’s both high and wide of the mark.
Senegal 0-0 Guinea
81. Senegal will make another substitution before the free kick is taken.
Joseph Lopy is on for Boulaye Dia.
Senegal 0-0 Guinea
80. That’s about as cynical as it comes from Sylla.
He hauls down Dia 30 yards out as the ball is played in towards him, stopping the Senegal man from having a run at goal.
Senegal 0-0 Guinea
78. Guinea substitution.
Mory Konate is on for his competitive debut, replacing Amadou Diawara in the middle of the park.
The drinks break and substitutions have just halted Senegal’s momentum somewhat, which suits Guinea right down to the ground.
Senegal 0-0 Guinea
77. It’s not a bad delivery towards Sow at the back post, but can’t get any real purchase on the header and heads it up rather than towards goal.
He then goes into the book for a late challenge on Diallo as the pair contest for the second ball.
Senegal 0-0 Guinea
76. Crystal Palace and Senegal midfielder Cheikhou Kouyate is the third man into the book.
He catches Guilavogui with a flailing arm as the pair contest for a header on the Guinea left hand side.
It’s a free kick, and a chance to get a cross into the box.
Senegal 0-0 Guinea
75. Into the final 15 minutes of action now.
The second half has been better than the first, marginally, but the deadlock is still yet to be broken.
Will we see a goal in the closing stages of the game?
Senegal 0-0 Guinea
74. Senegal substitution.
There’s a change on the flanks here, as Mame Thiam comes off for Habib Diallo.
Senegal 0-0 Guinea
73. Sarr stands over the corner again, and this time puts it right on the goalkeeper Keita.
The Guinea keeper deals with it, albeit unconvincingly, and just about punches the ball clear.
Senegal 0-0 Guinea
72. Play has just stopped for a moment as the players take on some more fluids.
It will resume with a corner to Senegal.
Senegal 0-0 Guinea
71. Dia picks up a dangerous position in the box again as the ball is worked into his feet.
He tries to let fly with an effort, but the ball is poked away from his feet just as he pulls the trigger.
It will be a corner though…
Senegal 0-0 Guinea
70. Mane is starting to show his class now as he drops into deeper positions on the pitch.
He picks it up again, and works his way out to the right hand side.
The Liverpool man looks up and spots Dia in the box, but Conte just about manages to hold off Dia and hack the ball to safety.
Guinea are starting to ride their luck a bit now, with 20 minutes still left to play.
Senegal 0-0 Guinea
68. Huge chance for Senegal!
Mane drives powerfully through the middle of the pitch, drawing Guinea defenders to him.
He releases it on the edge of the box, into Sarr on the right.
Sarr cuts inside, leaving Sylla on his backside, and opening up space for a shot.
He has all the time in the world to get an effort away, but fails to test Keita in goal and can only scuffs his effort wide of the mark.
Senegal 0-0 Guinea
67. That’s now two Ibrahima Conte’s on the pitch for Guinea, one at the back and one in midfield.
The sub will come on to provide some much needed fresh legs.
Senegal 0-0 Guinea
67. Guinea substitution.
This isn’t a bad call, with Guinea just starting to tire a bit in the middle of the park.
Ilaix Moriba is off, with Ibrahima Conte coming on.
Senegal 0-0 Guinea
65. Mane is involved again now, and this time goes down under a challenge from his Liverpool team-mate Keita.
The Guinea man is booked for the tackle on his club compatriot, and he is the second man to be shown a yellow card.
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IVORY COAST kicked off their AFCON challenge with a win against Equatorial Guinea.Eric Bailly started and was a rock at the back, with Max Gradel grabbing the only goal of the game.

Final score: Ivory Coast 1-0 E Guinea

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Top of the tree
After the first round of fixtures in the group, thanks to Sierra Leone holding Algeria to a draw, Ivory Coast sit at the top of the group with a two-point gap between them and second place already. A good day to be a fan of ‘Les Elephants’
Man of the Match:
Jean Michael Seri
The Fulham centre midfielder put in a polished performance breaking up play and stopping Equatorial Guinea playing through the middle of the park. As a result, they were forced to focus on wing play and balls over the top to bypass the midfield.
FT: Equatorial Guinea 0 Ivory Coast 1
A close game from start to finish. The depth of the Ivory Coast squad and their ability to bring world-class players from the bench just proved too much for Ivory Coast to overcome. Equatorial Guinea will feel they should have got something out of this game but they were not clinical enough when chances fell to them.
Equatorial Guinea 0 Ivory Coast 1
90 mins: Bringing Pepe and Zaha on has really stopped Equatorial Guinea as an attacking threat. Zaha creates himself an opportunity but drags his shot wide of the far post.
Equatorial Guinea 0 Ivory Coast 1
69 mins: Edu with a long range shot, just wide of the far post. It looked to have the keeper beaten.
Equatorial Guinea 0 Ivory Coast 1
68 mins: Can the National Thunder find this goal they crave or will all their efforts be merely a storm in a teacup?
Equatorial Guinea 0 Ivory Coast 1
66 mins: Nlavo is booked for Equatorial Guinea with his first contribution from the bench. A clumsy challenge.
Equatorial Guinea 0 Ivory Coast 1
65 mins: Ganet goes on a bursting run through the centre of midfield and unleashes a shot from outside the box which is closer than first thought as the replay shows.
Equatorial Guinea 0 Ivory Coast 1
62 mins: Another chance for Cornet, he turns inside a defender but again his shot is blocked as he lets rip. Equatorial Guinea go straight up the other end and Nsue is slotted through, one on one with the keeper, the striker cannot beat the Ivory Coast stopper.
Equatorial Guinea 0 Ivory Coast 1
59 mins: Cornet cuts in from the flank and glides passed two defenders into the centre of the box. Just as it seems he is to unleash a shot that may give ‘Les Elephants’ a second goal, a sliding challenge from the defender deflects the ball wide for a corner.
Equatorial Guinea 0 Ivory Coast 1
56 mins: If you were to tune into this game right now, you would think that Ivory Coast are playing in red. Equatorial Guinea are looking comfortable on the ball, playing slick passing and creating openings. Can they find that elusive goal to draw level?
Equatorial Guinea 0 Ivory Coast 1
53 mins: The ball runs free to the impressive Konan about 25 yards out. He unleashes a shot but doesn’t catch it right and the shot is well-wide.
Equatorial Guinea 0 Ivory Coast 1
49 mins: Nchama (Ndong) again causes problems down the left, crossing the ball into the six-yard box. Only some great tackles/blocks from Ivory Coast keep them out before the ball falls to Edu with a great sight on goal. His body-shape is all wrong and side-foots the effort well wide.
Equatorial Guinea 0 Ivory Coast 1
48 mins: Nsue gets to the byline and manages to pick out his strike partner Hanza-Meha. The striker cannot get enough power on the header to cause any problems
Equatorial Guinea 0 Ivory Coast 1
47 mins: One thing AFCON always guarantees us………..a reintroduction to the vuvuzela.
Equatorial Guinea 0 Ivory Coast 1
45 mins: Second half kicks off with Equatorial Guinea almost creating an opportunity on goal straight away.
HT: Equatorial Guinea 0 Ivory Coast 1
Despite the score, Equatorial Guinea have had more shots than their opponents in the first half. With both teams only registering one shot on target each, Guinea need to test the keeper more in the second half. Ivory Coast have edged possession slightly with 55%. All to play for in the second half.
HT: Equatorial Guinea 0 Ivory Coast 1
Gradel’s wonder-strike separates the sides at half-time. Other than that this has been an entertaining but quite evenly matched game. They need to deal with the options Konan is giving Ivory Coast down the left and try themselves to get more of the ball to Nchama (Ndong) who is causing problems himself down the flank.
Equatorial Guinea 0 Ivory Coast 1
45 mins: Although the score line favours Ivory Coast currently, providing it stays at 1-0, Equatorial Guinea are definitely still in this game. They have caused Ivory Coast plenty of problems in the last quarter of this half.
Equatorial Guinea 0 Ivory Coast 1
41 mins: Konan turns the right-back inside out again before going back for seconds, beating him, only for his cross to be cut out by one his fellow defenders.
Equatorial Guinea 0 Ivory Coast 1
39 mins: We do have VAR in this tournament, that ball looked to strike an arm in an unnatural position but play continues and the VAR room remains silent.
Equatorial Guinea 0 Ivory Coast 1
38 mins: Immediately after a penalty appeal from Guinea, a slotted through ball gives Nsue a strike at goal but the flag is raised.
Equatorial Guinea 0 Ivory Coast 1
35 mins: Equatorial Guinea are starting to settle and get into this game more. They seem comfortable in possession now and making more moves on the Ivory Coast goal. Sangare dives full stretch to deal with a low drilled cross into the danger area. Guinea are turning the screw a bit currently.
Equatorial Guinea 0 Ivory Coast 1
32 mins: If the first half hour of this game is anything to go by, Stade De Reims could be fielding a lot of phonecalls about Konan’s future after this tournament.
Equatorial Guinea 0 Ivory Coast 1
30 mins: Gradel protests with the referee about the challenge which results in a yellow card for Sangare. The replay shows it was a clumsy challenge by the Ivory Coast man.
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MO SALAH’S Egypt have been defeated in their AFCON opener by Nigeria 1-0 after a stunner from Leicester’s Kelechi Iheanacho.The Foxes striker lashed home the only goal of the game after 30 mins as Egypt – the most decorated team in Africa Cup of Nations history – failed to impress in Cameroon.

Result: Nigeria 1-0 Egypt
Egypt XI: El Shenawy; Hegazy, Hamdy, Fathi; Tawfik, Mohamed, Elneny, Fattoh; Trezeguet, Salah, Marmoush.
Nigeria XI: Okoye; Aina, Troost-Ekong, Omeruo, Sanusi; Ndidi, Aribo, Iheanacho; Chukwueze, Awoniyi, Simon.

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Nigeria 1-0 Egypt
Leicester fan Gary Lineker hailing Kelechi Iheanacho for his goal this afternoon.

Nigeria 1-0 Egypt
Kelechi Iheanacho has now scored 12 goals in 39 games for his country.
However, today was his first in a major competition for Nigeria. Important.
Nigeria 1-0 Egypt
Egypt’s remaining group games. They are now huge in their bid to qualify for the knockout stages.

Nigeria 1-0 Egypt
Super Eagles soaring.

Nigeria 1-0 Egypt
The final match of today sees the other two sides in Group D face off as Guinea-Bissau take on Sudan.
Neither side will be expecting to go through given Nigeria and Egypt are in with them. But a win for either side will pile the pressure on Egypt following their defeat today.
Guinea-Bissau vs Sudan (7pm GMT)
Nigeria 1-0 Egypt
A reminder of the winning goal this afternoon.
What a strike it was from Leicester and Nigeria marksman Kelechi Iheanacho.

Nigeria 1-0 Egypt
Not his finest hour.
Salah had one big change for Egypt today but was thwarted by the legs of keeper Okoye.
He’ll need to pick himself up and go again when Egypt take on Guinea-Bissau on Saturday.
Credit: AFP
Nigeria 1-0 Egypt
Worth remembering that is Egypt’s first Africa Cup of Nations group stage defeat for 17 years!
Some performance from Nigeria to end a run like that.
Nigeria 1-0 Egypt
Nigeria kicking off their campaign in winning style. A day to forget for Mohamed Salah.

FULL-TIME: Nigeria 1-0 Egypt
That’s it! Nigeria upset Egypt in the opening game of Group D. Kelechi Iheanacho’s first half strike proves enough to hand them all three points!
A superb display from the Super Eagles! Torrid stuff from Egypt.
Nigeria 1-0 Egypt
90+3 mins: Nigeria almost seal the victory! Ejuke uses his pace to fly past his marker but El Shenawy is equal to it!
Corner to Nigeria. They will run the clock down here.
Nigeria 1-0 Egypt
90+2 mins: We are halfway through four stoppage time minutes.
The ball drops to Salah on the edge of the box but it’s nicked away from him as he looks to burst beyond Troost-Ekong.
Salah then drifts out to the left and chips a dangerous-looking cross into the six-yard box but no-one is there.
Nigeria 1-0 Egypt
90+1 mins: Everton’s Alex Iwobi comes in for the last moments. He replaces Moses Simon – probably my Player of the Match. Tormented the Egyptian defence all afternoon.
Nigeria 1-0 Egypt
90 mins: Ashraf’s cross is deflected out for an Egypt corner.
Mohamed Sherif is on for Egypt as he replaces hamdy. One final roll of the dice.
The corner comes to nothing. Another minute ticks down.
Nigeria 1-0 Egypt
88 mins: Egypt send a throw into the box and it finds its way to Salah. He holds it up but there are four Nigerian shirts circled around him and eventually he relinquishes possession.
Not been Salah’s day. Not been Egypt’s day.
Nigeria 1-0 Egypt
86 mins: Nigeria do not look phased heading into the final stages of this one. They are not hanging on. They are not running down the clock. They are simply staying in their defensive block and breaking out when they win the ball.
No real concerted pressure from Carlos Queiroz’s Egypt side.
Nigeria 1-0 Egypt
84 mins: Egypt have a corner which is floated to the back post when Hegazy waits.
He controls the ball and sends a looping cross in. It looks for a moment as if it’s going to look Okoye but ends up on the roof of the net!
A tame effort but probably about as close as Egypt have come in the last 20 minutes.
Nigeria 1-0 Egypt
Here was Iheanacho missing the chance to score a second of the game.

Nigeria 1-0 Egypt
82 mins: Ajayi runs straight over to mark Mohamed Salah.
Meanwhile, a VAR penalty check takes a little while to decide that Egypt are not deserving of one. Monem went down but there was very little contact.
Eight minutes of normal time remain. There is little in the way of Egypt pressure.
Nigeria 1-0 Egypt
80 mins: SUB! Another sub for Nigeria. The goalscorer Iheanacho is replaced by Kelechi Nwakali.
Nigeria 1-0 Egypt
80 mins: SUB! Not good news for Nigeria. Omeruo has been stretchered off here. Not clear what happened but it was in the melay from that scrappy corner.
West Brom defender Semi Ajayi is on as his replacement.
Nigeria 1-0 Egypt
78 mins: Another chance for Nigeria! Chidera Ejuke has only come on for Chukwueze seconds ago and he nearly makes an instant impact!
He drives down the right before rifling a shot into the midriff of El Shenawy.
Nigeria look for likely to get a second than Egypt are to equalise.
Nigeria 1-0 Egypt
76 mins: Egypt have made four of their five changes. Mo Salah has had a good opportunity. Is it just not their day?
You have to say Nigeria have undoubtedly been the better side.
Nigeria 1-0 Egypt
74 mins: Iheanacho bursts into the left channel but the pass is a little beyond him. Nigeria corner.
Simon delivers it and El Shenawy misses it! It’s half cleared by Egypt before they eventually scramble it away.
Nigeria 1-0 Egypt
72 mins: OH THAT WAS THE CHANCE FOR SALAH!
He times his run brilliantly and Monem finds him in between the centre-halves. It’s stuck under his feet a little but he still manages to get the shot off, only for the legs of Okoye to deny the Egypt captain.
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