Gabon Through As Morocco Crash Out

27 January 2012

A last-gasp free-kick from Bruno Mbanangoye saw Gabon progress to the quarter-finals of the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations after a thrilling 3-2 victory over Morocco who saw their tournament end in Libreville on Friday

Houssine Kharja's strike just before the half hour got the Atlas Lions ahead, but second half strikes from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyan and substitute Daniel Cousin saw the Moroccans trailing before Kharja brought it level from the spot. It looked like things would end level, but in the eighth minute of stoppage time, Mbanangoye curled the ball into the back of the net for the home side's third.

Youssef El-Abari had a chance to open for Morocco in the 13th minute when he skipped his defender on the right of the area, but his shot flew just wide.

The game witnessed a moment of individual brilliance on 24 minutes when captain Kharja jinxed past the Gabon defenders after collecting Younes Belhanda's inch-perfect pass and stroked the ball home past Didier Ovono.

Gabon should have equalised straight away when Aubameyan found himself unmarked in the area, but the Saint Etienne striker headed his shot wide.

Cousin came on in the second half to inject some fresh energy into the Gabon side and the former Glasgow Rangers and Hull City striker nearly got an equaliser, but his first-time strike from Aubameyang's cross was expertly saved by Nadir Lamyaghri.

After relentless pressure on the Moroccan goal, the equaliser finally came with 15 minutes left on the clock. Gabon had a long attacking throw in on the left of the area which Cousin headed on to Aubameyang who sensationally volleyed home. A minute later Cousin himself got on the scoresheet when he collected a pass on the edge of the area, turned his marker and slotted it past Lamyaghri.

There should have been a third goal then for Gabon, but Madinda failed to keep his shot down five minutes from time.

And just when it looked like Morocco were about to crash out of the tournament Youssef Hadji saw his shot blocked by the hand of a defender and the referee wasted no time in awarding the penalty. It was Kharja who took up the responsibility and the captain buried it into the bottom right corner to secure the draw.

The match took yet another twist deep in the heart of stoppage time when the home side were awarded a free-kick to the left of the area and substitute Mbanangoye curled the ball inside the near post with a spot kick which have beaten most goalkeepers.