Ten Squirrels Of Benin Slay Toothless Morocco Atlas Lions In AFCON Shocker

5th July 2019 - by AFP

Wasteful pre-tournament eliminated at the round of 16 after going down 1-4 on post-match penalties after being forced to a 1-1 stalemate after extra time by a team that is yet to win at the continental showpiece

Benin players react after winning the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) Round of 16 football match between Morocco and Benin at the Al-Salam Stadium in the Egyptian capital Cairo on July 5, 2019. PHOTO/AFP

SUMMARY

Benin who are incredibly yet to win an AFCON game took a stunning lead in the 53rd minute through Moise Adilehu before Youssef En-Neysri restored parity for the Lions in the 75th
After a quiet start to the tournament it appeared Ziyech's time would come when Benin captain Stephane Sessegnon upended Achraf Hakimi deep into stoppage time, but the winger smacked his spot-kick against the base of the post
Morocco were left to count the cost of those misses as Boufal blazed over Morocco's second attempt in the shootout before Allagbe tipped En-Neysri's effort onto the bar, leaving Mama Seibou to fire Benin into the last eight

CAIRO, Egypt- Ten-man Squirrels of Benin caused one of the biggest ever upsets in continental football history when they stunned title favourites the Atlas Lions of Morocco 4-1 on post-match penalties after their Egypt 2019 CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) round of 16 clash on Friday evening ended 1-1 after extra time.

Benin who are incredibly yet to win an AFCON game took a stunning lead in the 53rd minute through Moise Adilehu before Youssef En-Neysri restored parity for the Lions in the 75th.

There was more drama in the 97th when Khaled Adenon was shown a straight red card when the match went into extra time but the Squirrels held on and showed nerveless steel having never advanced to this stage before to topple two-time AFCON winning-coach Havre Renard and his fancied side in the ensuing shootout.

Hakim Ziyech's missed stoppage-time penalty proved extremely costly for title contenders Morocco as Benin enjoyed their finest moment in football.

Adilehou forced home at a corner early in the second half to put Benin on course for a shock win but En-Nesyri equalised for the Atlas Lions before Ajax star Ziyech blew the chance to snatch victory by striking the post from the spot in the 96th.

Benin were forced to play most of the additional 30 minutes a man down after Adenon received a second yellow card for dissent, but they prevailed 4-1 in the shootout following misses by Sofiane Boufal and En-Nesyri to set up a clash with Senegal or Uganda on July 10 for a spot in the semi-finals.

Morocco suffered a troubled build-up to the tie at Al Salam Stadium with captain and key defender Medhi Benatia lost to injury while Benin were without forward Steve Mounie due to suspension.

The Atlas Lions had been clinical, determined and efficient so far in Egypt, mirroring the beliefs of Herve Renard, the only coach to win the Cup of Nations with two countries.

Bizarre dismissal

Benin, winless in 12 previous Cup of Nations matches, only scraped through to the knockout rounds on the back of three draws after holding both Ghana and reigning champions Cameroon.

Morocco's midfielder Mbark Boussoufa reacts during the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) Round of 16 football match between Morocco and Benin at the Al-Salam Stadium in the Egyptian capital Cairo on July 5, 2019. PHOTO/AFP

En-Nesyri and Ziyech both produced saves in a dreary first half from Saturnin Allagbe, who kept his place in the Benin goal after replacing Fabien Farnolle for the final group game.

Younes Belhanda skewed wide for Morocco shortly after the restart but it was Benin who grabbed a surprise lead when Adilehou broke clear of his marker to turn in a corner on 54 minutes, the Squirrels' first goal since their opening game in Egypt.

Substitute Boufal nearly levelled with his first touch after coming off the bench on the hour, meeting Nordin Amrabat's cross with a downward header that skipped off the grass and flashed just over the top.

A mistake from Jordan Adeoti presented Morocco with the equaliser on 75 minutes, as he was caught in possession on the edge of his area by Mbark Boussoufa who squared for En-Nesyri to stroke beyond Allagbe.

Ziyech stung the palms of Allagbe with a firmly hit free-kick while Boussoufa, who scored a last-gasp winner in the 1-0 victory over South Africa, saw his set-piece superbly clawed away by the Benin 'keeper.

After a quiet start to the tournament it appeared Ziyech's time would come when Benin captain Stephane Sessegnon upended Achraf Hakimi deep into stoppage time, but the winger smacked his spot-kick against the base of the post.

Adenon's bizarre dismissal, ostensibly for brushing the referee away as he attempted to tend to a cramping team-mate, gave Morocco the numerical advantage but Ziyech again squandered an opportunity to send the Atlas Lions through as he blazed over a cutback from Boussoufa.

Morocco were left to count the cost of those misses as Boufal blazed over Morocco's second attempt in the shootout before Allagbe tipped En-Neysri's effort onto the bar, leaving Mama Seibou to fire Benin into the last eight.