AFCON
Morocco leave it late to settle AFCON opener against Ghana
Morocco came out on top in a poor game against Ghana which was eventually resolved in the 83rd minute through Sofiane Boufal's winner.
Sofiane Boufal's late strike gave Morocco a 1-0 victory over Ghana in a somewhat flat and uninspiraing Africa Cup of Nations Group C opener at Stade Ahmadou Ahidjo on Monday.
Boufal decider
The Black Stars and the Atlas Lions looked to be heading for a point apiece from a match that was lacking in entertaining until Boufal popped up with an 83rd-minute winner in Yaounde.
Morocco captain Romain Saiss failed to take a good chance to open the scoring when he nodded Boufal's fizzed free-kick over the bar a few minutes before the end of a poor first half The quality did not improve after the break with few chances at either end, but Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou was called on to pull out a brilliant save to tip Joseph Paintsil's measured right-foot shot around the post after 72 minutes.
The game was decided in the final 10 minutes. Boufal gleefully rifled home from close range following a mazy run into the penalty area from Zakaria Aboukhlal that saw him tease the Ghana defence, only to be checked by Thomas Partey, with the ball coming off the Arsenal player's boot and landing perfectly for Boufal to score.