score football magazine

Africa 2008
Ghana
Monday January 21st

Morocco blow Namibia away

An early Alloudi hat-trick gave Morocco an unassailable lead against Namibia in the second day of the Africa Cup of Nations. Chamakh latched onto a long ball in the 2nd minute and having seen his effort denied by the post played the ball to Soufiane Alloudi for a simple tap-in. Three minutes later Alloudi lifted the ball over a defender and poked it past the Namibian keeper Abisia Shiningayamwe. Namibia pulled a goal back against the run of play in the 23rd minute when Collin Benjamin split the Moroccan defence with a through ball to Brian Brendell who took 2 touches before firing home. Namibia were pegged back again 5 minutes later when Sektioui delivered a perfect cross onto the head of Alloudi who completed his hat-trick. Tarik Sektioui got on the score sheet himself 6 minutes before the break when he dispatched a penalty kick accurately into the bottom corner. The Atlas Lions added another goal to their tally in the 2nd half when Moncef Zerka got up high to head in a corner kick in the 73rd minute. (Morocco 5 Namibia 1)

Soufiane Alloudi
Soufiane Alloudi celebrates early hat-trick
Monday January 21st

Salomon solo goal wins match

Ivory Coast enjoyed a major victory against fellow favourites Nigeria in the first match of group B. Taye Taiwo smashed a thirty-yard free-kick against the Ivorian crossbar and Toure tested Austine Ejide in the Nigerian gaol with a powerful shot in the first half. Ejide got down to keep out a Toure shot in the 58th minute, while 2 minutes later his opposite number Boubacar Barry got in the way of an Obafemi Martins effort. The only goal of the game came in the 66th minute when Chelsea's Salomon Kalou weaved his way through the Nigerian defence to smash the ball home from inside the area. (Ivory Coast 1 Nigeria 0)

Salomon Kalou
Salomon Kalou scores winner against Nigeria
Monday January 21st

Kanoute shines in the dark

A single goal was enough to give Mali 3 points before they meet Nigeria and Ivory Coast in group B. The start of the match had been delayed for 15 minutes due to power failure, but on the pitch it was the failure of the players to trouble the goalkeepers which lead to a goalless first half with Seydou Keita's shot flashing past the Benin post in the 12th minute and Mali seeing their lofted free-kick scrambled away 10 minutes later. With 4 minutes of the 2nd half gone Rachad Chitou could only parry Kanoute's blistering shot into the path of Dramane Traoré who was brought down, and Kanoute sent the keeper the wrong was from the resulting penalty for the only goal of the match. Sessegnon tested Mahamadou Sidibe with a fierce shot in the 84th minute, but Mali held on to win. (Mali 1 Benin 0)

frederic kanoute
Kanoute tucks penalty away

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