The Leopards are content with a draw at home against the Atlas Lions after having had the advantage in the score for more than an hour (1-1).
The Martyrs stadium in Kinshasa opened this Friday the first leg of the African zone play-offs for the 2022 Cup in Qatar. Morocco moved on the lawn of the Democratic Republic of Congo before the return scheduled for Casablanca next Tuesday. The Leopards, absent from the 2021 African Cup of Nations, were keen to take the advantage in front of their public in this double confrontation to offer them their first participation in a Cup since their only appearance in 1974. As for the Lions of the ‘Atlas, eliminated in the quarter-finals of the CAN in Cameroon by Egypt, the objective was to leave with a good result before receiving the DRC at the Mohammed V stadium and validate why not a second consecutive ticket for a CdM after 2018 in Russia.
To do this, the Moroccan coach Vahid Halilhodzic proposed a 3-5-2 with the tenures of the two Mmaee brothers – Samy in defense and Ryan in attack alongside Youssef En-Nesyri. On the Congolese side, Hector Cuper lined up a 4-4-2 with an offensive doublet made up of Dieumerci Mbokani and Olympique de Marseille striker Cédric Bakambu. From the start of the first period, Morocco tried to put their foot on the ball to manage the time of the meeting but were surprised by the rapid attacks of the Leopards. Well entered on his right foot, the winger of Brentford and former Lorient Yoanne Wissa saw his shot deflected by the head of Romain Saïss, who deceived Yassine Bounou to wake up the public of the den of Kinshasa (1-0, 12th).
Vahid and his people are doing well
We then expected a quick reaction from the Atlas Lions to get back into the game, it did not happen, not during the first act anyway. The Congolese, confident after their opener, showed more intensity in their game against a transparent Moroccan team offensively. Bounou (28th) then Aguerd (30th) had to deploy to neutralize the respective opportunities of Amale and Bakambu. On returning from the locker room, the domination of the locals was still felt on the synthetic turf of the Martyrs stadium. Number 9 Mbokani was very close to doubling the bet on the hour mark if Samy Mmaee had not intervened in extremis in front of the Kuwait SC striker at the far post (60th).
But as the second period progressed, the tide began to turn on the side of Coach Vahid’s men: first in the game with better use of the ball, but also in scoring, rewarding winning coaching from the Bosnian technician. With a long cross from the defense, incoming Ayoub El Kaabi headed the ball for another fresh player, Tarik Tissoudali. The Gantoise striker sent his beautiful volley into the nets of Joel Kiassumbua (1-1, 76th), a goal validated by the VAR led by a French duo (François Letexier and Benoît Millot). Less than ten minutes later, the former Dijonnais Glory Ngonda was sent off by Vitor Gomes after a second yellow card obtained following a dangerous tackle on Achraf Hakimi (85th). Despite some fears in the opposing defense in numerical inferiority, DR Congo concedes a draw against a disappointing Morocco. Return leg scheduled for next Tuesday at 8:30 p.m.
