Gabon – Rachid Alioui scored a spectacular winner for Morocco to defeat holders Ivory Coast 1-0 and advance to the quarter-finals of the African Nations Cup finals at the expense of the defending champions on Tuesday.
French-born Alioui netted from 35 metres to take coach Herve Renard’s side into the knockout stages and end the hopes of the country the latter led to the continental title two years ago in Equatorial Guinea.
Morocco finish runners-up in Group C with six points, one behind pool winners the Democratic Republic of Congo. The fancied Ivorians, who managed just two goals and two points in their three matches in Gabon, had to settle for third.
Ivory Coast join two other high-profile first-round casualties already knocked out of the tournament in Algeria and hosts Gabon.
Herve Renard has reached the Afcon quarter-finals once again, this time as coach of Morocco. Photo: Samuel Shivambu, BackpagePix
* Junior Kabananga kept up his goal-scoring form at the tournament to help send DR Congo into the quarter-finals as they beat Togo 3-1 on Tuesday and finished top of Group C.
The tall striker, whose participation was confirmed only at the last minute, is now the leading scorer at the tournament after he netted the opening goal in the 29th minute.
There were second-half contributions from Ndombe Mubele and Paul-Jose Mpoku, while Kodjo Laba pulled one back for Togo, who finished last in the group standings with a single point.
DR Congo amassed seven points and will play the team who finish second on Wednesday in Group D in the weekend quarter-finals.