A melee broke out between Morocco and Congo players and coaching staff at the end of their 1-1 draw at the Africa Cup of Nations on Sunday.
It started after the game when Morocco coach Walid Regragui approached Congo captain Chancel Mbemba, who had already received a yellow card for arguing with the referee. Mbemba clearly disagreed with what Regragui said and made signs for the video referee as players from both teams rushed in and officials struggled to control the pushing and shoving that ensued.
“It's the heat. It's a big match between two big nations,” Congo coach Sébastien Desabre said. “It's very hot. Very, very, very hot.”
The temperature in San Pedro was 32 degrees C (90 F) when the game started.
FILE - DR Congo's forward #19 Fiston Mayele (C) fights for the ball with Morocco's defender #2 Achraf Hakimi (R) and Morocco's defender #5 Nayef Aguerd (L) during the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) 2024 group F football match between Morocco and DR Congo at Stade L
Morocco missed the chance to secure a spot in the knockout stage with a game to spare as Congo forward Silas Katompa Mvumpa canceled Achraf Hakimi’s early goal for the “Atlas Lions.”
Hakimi scored from Hakim Ziyech’s corner in the sixth minute, but Silas equalized in the 76th for Congo’s second successive draw in the tournament.
Morocco leads Group F with four points from two games after its opening 3-0 win over Tanzania, followed by Zambia and Congo on two points, and Tanzania on one.
The game’s first cooling break was needed. It also allowed tempers to cool – albeit only briefly – after a series of robust challenges.
FILE - DR Congo's Gael Kakuta, left, and Morocco's Selim Amallah, down, challenge for the ball during the Group F soccer match between Morocco and DR Congoin San Pedro, Ivory Coast, January 21, 2024
There was another break for treatment to Congo defender Henock Inonga Baka, who had to have his head bandaged to stem a heavy blood flow after he jumped for a set piece and received a blow.
When he returned, the referee awarded Congo a penalty after checking video replays for a possible hand ball by Selim Amallah. He also booked the Morocco defender.
FILE - Moroccan fans arrive for the African Cup of Nations Group F soccer match between Morocco and DR Congo, at the Laurent Pokou stadium in San Pedro, Ivory Coast, Sunday, Jan. 21, 2024.
But Cédric Bakambu hit the post with the penalty. It was just one example of the "Leopards” lacking accuracy in front of goal as they otherwise finished the half strongly.
FILE - DR Congo's Henock Inonga Baka plays with a head injury during the AFCON Group F soccer match between Morocco and DR Congo, at the Laurent Pokou stadium in San Pedro, Ivory Coast, January 21, 2024
Congo's went off at the break for Dylan Batubinsika, who almost had an immediate impact with an effort that went just wide of the post.
Congo kept pushing, however, and finally scored when Meschack Elia cut the ball back for Silas to fire in the equalizer.
“There was room at the end for us to get all three points,” the Stuttgart forward said.
Taif Stars Rue Missed Chance
Tanzania failed to see out its first win in coach Hemed Suleiman's debut as 10-man Zambia fought back to draw 1-1 in the other Group F match.
FILE - Coach Tanzania Hemed Suleiman at a press conference at the Laurent-Pokou stadium in San-Pedro on January 20, 2024 on the eve of AFCON match between Zambia and Tanzania.
Simon Msuva fired the Taifa Stars ahead in the 11th minute, and it got worse for Zambia when team captain Roderick Kabwe was sent off before the break with his second yellow card for an acrobatic lunge at Tanzania forward Mbwana Samatta.
The “Copper Bullets” refused to buckle, however, and Patson Daka equalized for Zambia in the 88th minute.
Tanzania changed its coach before the game after Adel Amrouche was banned for eight matches for pre-tournament comments he made about Morocco’s alleged influence on the African soccer confederation (CAF).
South Africa played neighboring Namibia later Sunday as it looks for its first points in Group E.