25 Jan 202215.59 ESTClinical by Morocco? Not exactly, but they did respond well to the early concession of that absurd long-distance thunderbolt from Gabadinho Mhango, dominating the rest of the match. In the end, after Youssef En-Nesyri equalised on the stroke of half-time, a Moroccan winner seemed inevitable, and Achraf Hakimi delivered it with a world-class free kick. Morocco, searching for only their second win in the competition after their sole victory in 1976, march on to the quarters, facing either Ivory Coast or Egypt on Sunday. Malawi are off home, but having made it through to the knockouts on only their third appearance, will return to a welcome befitting their staunch efforts. Thanks for reading this MBM. Nighty night!
FULL TIME: Morocco 2-1 Malawi
Amrabat deals with one last Malawian hail Mary, and Morocco make it through to the quarters!
25 Jan 202215.54 EST90 min +3: Hakimi has a lash from distance. Thomu fumbles the low drive, the ball breaking to El Haddadi, who somehow misses from six yards from a not-particularly-tight angle on the left.
25 Jan 202215.53 EST90 min +2: “A lot of desire and pride shown by both teams tonight,” writes Simon McMahon. “Too bad only one can stay in the tournament.” Yep. Morocco have been miles the better side, but the Flames scored a worldie and have fought like hell to keep themselves alive.
25 Jan 202215.51 EST90 min +1: Barkok gives a silly free kick away on the Malawian left. The ball’s swung into a crowded mixer. Chembezi gets overly physical and the whistle goes to release the pressure on Morocco. All very tense.
25 Jan 202215.50 EST90 min: Malawi will have four minutes to source an equaliser.
25 Jan 202215.49 EST89 min: Chembezi, desperately seeking possession gives Mmaee a knee in the coccyx. Ooyah, oof, that’s gotta hurt. A free kick on halfway, and a chance for Morocco to run down some precious time.
25 Jan 202215.48 EST88 min: Aboukhlal comes on for El-Nesyri, and nearly wins a header from a left-wing cross with his first touch. Malawi clear.
25 Jan 202215.47 EST87 min: Fodyah has time out on the left to size up a cross, Malawi having thrown plenty of men up into the Moroccco box. He blooters an awful effort high over everyone and out for a goal kick.
25 Jan 202215.45 EST86 min: Davie goes sliding in on Aguerd, both sets of studs showing. Both players, for very different reasons, are fortunate that no contact is made.
25 Jan 202215.44 EST84 min: Barkok sprays a long diagonal ball towards Hakimi, in acres on the right. His low cross is smacked out for a corner by Chembezi, with Mmaee lurking to slam home. Saiss and Aguerd get in each other’s way at the corner, and Malawi’s hopes of forcing extra time remain in tact.
25 Jan 202215.42 EST82 min: Morocco also swap a couple of players. El Haddadi and Barkok come on for Louza and Boufal.
25 Jan 202215.41 EST80 min: Papers are exchanged, the board goes up, and finally Fodyah, Ngalande and Davie come on for Madinga, Idana and Sanudi.
25 Jan 202215.38 EST79 min: Malawi prepare to throw the dice by making a triple change. This is taking some time, because there’s a problem with the admin.
25 Jan 202215.37 EST77 min: Morocco should be home and hosed. Mmaee tussles with Chaziya down the inside-left channel and into the box. He considers going over, looking for a penalty, but charges for the byline instead, pulling back for El-Nesyri, who fires towards the bottom left. The ball flies inches wide. Big chance.
Updated at 15.38 EST25 Jan 202215.36 EST76 min: Turns out Mhango was booked for telling the referee that Hakimi moved the ball before taking his free kick. It does indeed look as though there’d been a little cheeky re-spotting of the dead ball, but nothing particularly egregious, so take nothing away from the quality of the strike.
25 Jan 202215.33 EST74 min: Can Malawi respond? As things stand, Morocco will face either Ivory Coast or Egypt in the quarters on Sunday.
25 Jan 202215.31 EST72 min: That was an absolute peach, and Hakimi literally takes a bow. He deserves the ovation he receives.
GOAL! Morocco 2-1 Malawi (Hakimi 70)
This is one hell of a strike! Hakimi takes a short run-up and curls an out-to-in effort up and over the wall, and back down towards the very top right-hand corner. Thomu had no chance whatsoever!
69 min: Before the free kick is taken, Mhango is booked for some cutting-edge chat. Hakimi stands over the ball, and ...
25 Jan 202215.27 EST68 min: Hakimi is causing all sorts of bother down the right again. He pulls back for Amallah, who is clipped by Phiri, 25 yards out, just to the right of centre. Another free kick in another dangerous position.
Updated at 15.30 EST25 Jan 202215.26 EST67 min: Common sense prevails, and it’s just a corner, from which nothing comes.
25 Jan 202215.26 EST66 min: Hakimi drives down the right and pace and crosses low. The ball clanks off the sliding Chembezi’s arm. Morocco want a penalty. VAR will check, but it’ll be a harsh one if given, because the defender was sliding on the floor and his arm was behind him, in what looked like a natural position.
25 Jan 202215.25 EST65 min: Nothing comes of the set piece.
25 Jan 202215.24 EST64 min: Mmaee dribbles down the inside-right channel. Hakimi tears past him on the overlap. Mmaee surprises everyone by dropping a shoulder to glide infield, instead of feeding Morocco’s star man. He takes a whack that’s deflected and nearly spins into the top left. Just a corner.
25 Jan 202215.23 EST62 min: Madinga crosses from the right towards Mbulu. Bono flaps. Mbulu mistimes his leap. Everyone misses the ball, and Morocco get away with one. Mbulu claims a penalty, but he’s never getting one.
61 min: Boufal takes the free kick himself but can’t beat the first man. Malawi break, and Mhango, once again with an eye for the spectacular, tries to beat Bono from 15 yards inside his own half! The ball rolls apologetically to the keeper’s feet. Full marks for ambition, if nothing else.
25 Jan 202215.20 EST60 min: Sanudi is booked for a mistimed lunge on Boufal, who had beaten him down the left touchline all ends up. Free kick. Morocco load the box.
25 Jan 202215.19 EST59 min: The Malawi captain Banda requires some treatment, so everyone has the opportunity to grab a drink and take a breather. Malawi in particular have covered an awful lot of yards, with Morocco hogging the ball.
25 Jan 202215.17 EST57 min: It’s been pretty much all Morocco since the restart, just as it was before the break ... only without the steady flow of chances. Boufal reaches the byline on the left and pulls back to nobody, which encapsulates how things are going at the moment.
55 min: Masina crosses from a deep position on the left. Mmaee nearly brings it down at the far post, but can’t quite extend his leg to exact telescopic requirements. Goal kick.
25 Jan 202215.12 EST53 min: A free kick for Morocco, just inside the Malawi half. Before it can be taken, El Kaabi is replaced by Ryan Mmaee. Then the set piece is lumped into the box. Masina meets it by looping a header towards the top right. Easy pickings for Thomu.
25 Jan 202215.11 EST51 min: A long, hopeful punt down the inside-left channel nearly releases Mhango. Bono hesitates before finally coming to the edge of his box to claim, just in time. Then the flag goes up for offside anyway.
25 Jan 202215.09 EST50 min: Hakimi finds himself in space down the right only to shank a dreadful cross miles behind the goal. A reminder that we’ll go to extra time and penalties if necessary this evening.
25 Jan 202215.09 EST49 min: Madinga makes good down the inside-right channel and aims for the top left. It’s always sailing wide and high.
25 Jan 202215.07 EST47 min: Boufal romps in from the left and launches a shot across Thomu’s bows. “The Malawian goal was yet another example of great entertainment ensuing when Bono is on the Edge. This tournament moves in mysterious ways. PS: U2 shot their Mysterious Ways video in Morocco.” Peter Oh, ladies and gentlemen. He’s here all week. Try the ndolé.
Malawi get the second half underway. They’ve replaced Muyaba with Mbulu up front.
25 Jan 202214.55 ESTHalf-time reading. In today’s other round-of-16 match, Senegal beat nine-man Cape Verde 2-0. Liverpool’s Sadio Mané scored the opener but was later hospitalised with concussion.
HALF TIME: Morocco 1-1 Malawi
That was entertainment right out of the top drawer. One of the all-time great goals from long distance by Gabadinho Mhango, a one-man supershow in goal from Charles Thomu, and a dramatic stoppage-time equaliser from Youssef En-Nesyri. More please!
25 Jan 202214.50 EST45 min +4: Mhone, who had returned just after the equaliser, can’t continue, and Phiri comes on in his place.
25 Jan 202214.50 EST45 min +3: Another cross, another chance for Morocco, as Amallah heads inches over the bar from eight yards. What a Spursesque injury-time turnaround that would have been.
25 Jan 202214.48 ESTGOAL! Morocco 1-1 Malawi (El-Nesyri 45+2)
Louza probes down the left. He pulls back for Amallah, who crosses long. El-Nesyri rises highest at the far post and powers a header through the hands of Thomu, beaten at last. It’s fair to say this had been coming.
45 min +1: Boufal’s long corner is no good.
25 Jan 202214.46 EST45 min: Amallah wins a corner down the right. Before it can be taken, Mhone goes down with cramp and is loaded onto the stretcher. While that’s happening, the board goes up, and there will be three added minutes.
25 Jan 202214.44 EST43 min: Space for Boufal in the box down the left channel. He’s one on one with Thomu, and should really slot, but leans back and lifts his shot over the bar. How on earth are Morocco not level at the very least?!
25 Jan 202214.44 EST41 min: Boufal sashays down the right and pulls back for Hakimi, who opens his body and attempts to send a first-time forensic sidefoot into the bottom left. Thomu extends at full length to fingertip onto the left-hand post and away! Then another phase of Moroccan attack, Boufal cutting in from the right and larruping towards the bottom near corner. Thomu hacks away with his feet. This is an outstanding goalkeeping performance.
25 Jan 202214.39 EST39 min: Amrabat hangs a leg across Muyaba in the centre circle and is slightly fortunate to escape censure. The first sign of slight frustration from the Moroccans.
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