Comoros beat 10-man Ghana 3-2 in Garoua on Tuesday night for what is the biggest upset at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) sending the four-time champions crashing out of the tournament.
Ghana finished bottom of Group C with just a point while Comoros, making their debut in the tournament, finished in third and wait to see if they are lucky enough to be one of four best-placed number three sides to progress to the round of 16.
” We always believed we could achieve a famous victory for our nation. I sent on attacking players in the belief that we could score a third goal and my decision paid off. We are satisfied with the way we played. We had a plan and stuck to it. We learnt from the mistakes we made in previous games,” said Amir Abdou, the Comoros head coach.
His opposite number Milovan Rajevac was dejected, but chose to look on the other side.
“I came to Ghana to qualify the team for the World Cup. That is my primary target. I will stay and lead the team in the March play-offs,” he said.
Ghana had to play majority of the match with 10 men after skipper Andre Ayew was sent off in the 25th minute for what seemed like a harsh decision. The Al Sadd striker had slid in to try win a loose ball after keeper Salime Ben Boina had spilled Kamaldeen Sulemana’s shot.
He however caught the keeper’s arms and the referee, after consultation with the VAR monitors on pitch side decided to send off the skipper. Keeper Boina had to be subbed off due to the injury and was replaced by Ali Ahamada.
It was a huge blow for Ghana who were already trailing by a goal.
El Fardou Ben Mohamed had given the islanders the lead in the 4th minute after picking up a pass at the edge of the box, a little faint on his body taking the marker away before a left foot scorcher left the keeper rooted to his spot.
Ghana would have responded four minutes later but keeper Boina made a fine save to pluck away Alexander Djiku’s header off a corner from the top post.
After going down by a goal and a man, Ghana regrouped themselves to adjust to the demands of playing with 10 men. They came close to equalizing five minutes to the break when Thomas Partey had a chance from a freekick but his effort curled inches wide.
In the second half, Comoros were not about to defend their single goal lead especially with the advantage of one man up.
They instead doubled their lead in the 61st minute through another left foot scorcher, this time Ahmed Mogni hitting the back of the net after a quick interchange of play on the right.
Ghana mounted what looked like a possible comeback and they halved the deficit just three minutes later, substitute Richmond Boakye looping a header beyond the keeper.
They scored the equalizer in the 77th minute when Djiku bundled the ball home at the backpost after Partey had flicked the ball behind from a corner.
While they thought they had done enough for a massive comeback, Ghana were stunned in the 85th minute when Comoros scored the winner, another case of poor defense costing the Black Stars as Mogni completed his brace with a simple tap in from a cross on the right.
-Morocco 2-2 Gabon-
Soufiane Boufal celebrates his equalizer for Morocco
Meanwhile, Morocco finished top of the group after a pulsating 2-2 draw with Gabon in the other group match. Both sides progressed to the round of 16 as first and second.
Achraf Hakimi won a point for Morocco with an 84th minute equalizer as the Atlas Lions had to twice come from behind.
Jim Allevinah broke the deadlock in the third minute when he slid the ball behind the keeper after picking on a long ball from his own goalkeeper. Morocco defender Soufiane Chakla had slipped in his bid to try and win the long ball and Allevinah made the most of it to beat the keeper one on one.
The striker came close to adding in the second minuytes later, but his improvised effort on the volley from the left came off the crossbar.
The Gabonese took the lead to the halftime break and looked well on course to pick all three points and finish top of the group.
However, Morocco equalized in the 74th minute from the penalty spot, Soufiane Boufal scoring from the spot after he had been brought down inside the box by the combined effort of goalkeeper Jean-Noel Amonome and his defender Andre Poko.
However Gabon took back the lead in the 81st minute when Morocco defender Nayef Aguerd slammed the ball into his own net as he tried to cut out a cross from Allevinah.
The lead however lasted just three minutes as Hakimi grabbed a point for Morocco with a brilliant 35-yard freekick.
For the round of 16, Gabon have already confirmed a date against Burkina Faso while Morocco will face one of the best placed number three teams from either Group A, B or F.
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