RABAT- The Under-23 Africa Cup of Nations officially kicked off on Saturday June 24 at the Prince Moulay-Abdallah stadium in Morocco. On the poster of the opening match, Guinea challenged the lion cubs of Morocco pushed by their public and two high-level supporters: Achraf Hakimi, international A and coach Walid Regragui. The Syli U-23, which had opened the scoring, was caught and ended up losing this match following rather questionable refereeing decisions (2-1).
After 30 minutes where the two teams observed each other, the Syli opened the scoring just before the break. And it is striker Algassime Bah, on a direct free kick, who will deceive the opposing goalkeeper by opening the scoring. But by dint of falling back, the Guineans will suffer the equalizer following a rather questionable penalty whistled by the Somali referee Omar Artan. The locals will therefore equalize on this penalty which will completely restore confidence to the Moroccans. After a slight domination and the six minutes of additional time, Morocco will score this second goal and will end up winning on fairly rebounding game facts. Guinea even scored a goal at the very end of the match, a goal disallowed by the referee following consultation of the VAR.
After this lost match, Guinea’s second outing will take place on June 27 against Congo. It should be noted that this U-23 competition is a qualifier for the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics and that at the end of the tournament, the three best teams will obtain their tickets for these Olympics.
Mohamed LAMINE TOURÉ, special envoy to Rabat
What are the implications for Guinea’s chances of securing a spot in the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics after their opening defeat in the tournament
RABAT- The Under-23 Africa Cup of Nations kicked off with a bang on Saturday June 24th at the Prince Moulay-Abdallah stadium in Morocco. The opening match pitted Guinea against the lion cubs of Morocco in a thrilling showdown. The atmosphere was electric, with two high-profile supporters in the form of Achraf Hakimi and coach Walid Regragui rallying behind the home team.
It was the Syli U-23 team who struck first, scoring just before halftime thanks to a brilliant direct free kick from Algassime Bah. The Guineans seemed to be in control, but a controversial penalty decision turned the tide in favor of the Moroccans. With renewed confidence, the hosts equalized and eventually scored the winning goal, capitalizing on some fortunate bounces. However, controversy persisted as Guinea had a goal disallowed by the referee after consulting the VAR system.
Despite the disappointment of their opening defeat, Guinea will have a chance to redeem themselves in their next match against Congo on June 27th. It is worth noting that this tournament serves as a qualifier for the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics, with the top three teams securing their tickets to the prestigious event.
Mohamed LAMINE TOURÉ, our special envoy in Rabat, will continue to bring you all the exciting updates from this thrilling tournament. Stay tuned for more action-packed matches and dramatic moments!
The biased officiating in the Guinea vs Morocco match is a disappointing setback for fair play and sportsmanship. It’s disheartening to see the home team’s advantage being exploited, affecting the outcome of the game.