Online Reporter
LEICESTER City striker Patson Daka headed home in injury time as Zambia held Mali to a 1-1 draw in their opening Africa Cup of Nations game yesterday.
Daka, who has scored just once for Leicester in the English Championship this season, threw himself at a Mathews Banda cross in the second added minute at the end of the game to earn the Chipolopolo an unlikely point.
Mali dominated much of the Group A encounter but saw El Bilal Toure squander a penalty late in the first half at the Stade Mohammed V in Casablanca.
Toure’s kick was saved by Zambia goalkeeper Willard Mwanza after Banda had been penalised following a VAR check for catching Nene Dorgeles in the box.
Mali did go in front just after the hour mark when Auxerre’s Lassine Sinayoko fired home at the second attempt from close range following a corner.
However, Daka’s late effort denied Mali and the result will suit hosts Morocco, who beat Comoros 2-0 in the tournament’s first match in the same section on Sunday.
The final whistle blew, signalling the end of a hard-fought encounter between the two. Both teams can take pride in their performances, with Mali showcasing their defensive resilience and Zambia displaying their attacking prowess.
The battle for possession was closely fought, with Mali edging ahead with 52 percent of the ball compared to Zambia’s 48 percent.
Overall, it was a closely contested match that ended in a well-deserved draw for both sides. The result sets the stage for an intriguing journey ahead in the Africa Cup of Nations, with Mali and Zambia looking to build on this solid start in the tournament.
Going into the game, Zambia had the better head-to-head in five matches. They had won two of those contests, while Mali won one. It is now three draws in their six matches after yesterday’s result.
For Zambia, it was always going to be difficult if their current form is anything to go by. They had lost four of their last five matches, including the 0-2 defeat to DRC.
Mali on the other hand came into this contest with a healthy record over their last five matches. They had won three, drawn one, and lost another one.
This was the second meeting between Mali and Zambia at the AFCON finals. The first contest was in the semi-finals of the 1994 tournament on 6 April 1994 at Stade El Menzah in Tunis, Tunisia. Zambia romped a comprehensive 4-0 victory.
That was not to be the case this time around.
Morocco and Mali meet next in Rabat on Friday, while Zambia — who have now failed to win any of their 10 AFCON matches since lifting the trophy in 2012 — face Comoros. — Supersport/Africasoccer
