Post by Salem6 on Feb 15, 2004 11:40:54 GMT
Tunisia 2-1 Morocco
An error from Morocco keeper Khalid Fouhami gifted Tunisia their first-ever African Cup of Nations title.
Striker Ziad Jaziri poked home the winner six minutes after the break when Fouhami fumbled Jose Clayton's low cross into the penalty area.
The suspended Khaled Badra and Riadh Bouazizi lift the trophy
Tunisia took the lead after just four minutes when Francileudo dos Santos finished off Mehdi Nafti's cross.
Morocco bounced back just before half-time when Youssef Mokhtari headed in Youssef Hadji's clipped centre.
Defeat for Morocco was hard on an unfancied side, whose young attack, which included Youssef Mokhtari, Youssef Hadji and Marouane Chamakh dazzled defences during the three weeks of competition.
In the final though, that trio and the rest of Morocco's attacking force was well shackled by a tough Tunisia defence, marshalled by Ajax's Hatem Trabelsi.
Morocco's backline also proved stubborn resistance in a match which produced few clear-cut scoring opportunities.
That said, it took only four minutes for Morocco's defence to be exposed when the hard-working Nafti flighted in a superb cross from the right-wing which the relatively diminutive Dos Santos nodded into the goal.
A frenetic few minutes followed, as Tunisia pressed forward for a second.
Sochaux midfielder Adel Chedli picked a bad time to leave his shooting boots at home when he blasted high and wide from another Nafti centre.
A battle in the middle of the Stade Rades pitch followed with Tunisia looking to shut up shop as early as midway through the first-half, with Morocco seeking a way back into the match.
And with just a few minutes left before the interval break it seemed that Roger Lemerr's side had stifled all Morocco had to offer.
However, Hadji, who has shone in almost every game at this Cup of Nations, had another plans.
The brother of the more illustrious Mustapha, delivered a carefully weighted cross which eluded all but Mokhtari who sent his bullet header past keeper Ali Boumnijel.
Game on. But such was 100mph feeling of the opening half, things had to slow down.
The tempo did, but somebody obviously forgot to tell Fouhami that he still had to keep his reactions sharp.
The keeper has shone throughout the tournament for Morocco having conceded just two goals before the final, but his blunder for Tunisia's second is what he will be remembered for in this tournament.
Tunisia and Morocco fought a tense battle
Clayton, who earlier tested the keeper with a wicked volley, delivered a softly struck cross into the six-yard-area.
Fouhami inexplicably failed to collect the ball, leaving Jaziri to take advantage and tap in.
It was expected that a Morocco onslaught was to follow, but that never occured.
The Atlas Lions were a spent force. The youthful vigour had finally run out of steam.
For Lemerre's Tunisia though, their dogged determination in all areas of the pitch, proved to be enough on the day.
Of course, had Fouhami not fumbled, it may have been a different story.
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Morocco: Khalid Fouhami; Hoalid Regragui, Abdeslam Ouaddou, Noureddine Naybet, Talal El Karkouri, Akram Roumani (Jaouad Zairi, 73); Abdelkrim Kissi, Youssef Safri (Mohammed El Yaagoubi, 63), Youssef Mokhtari; Youssef Hadji (Nabil Baha, 87), Marouane Chamakh.
Tunisia: Ali Boumnijel; Hatem Trabelsi, Radhi Jaidi, Karim Hagui, Jose Clayton; Riadh Bouazizi, Mehdi Nafti (Jawhar Mnari, 46), Adel Chadli; Slim Benachour (Kais Ghodhbane, 57); Zied Jaziri (Imed Mhadhebi, 70), Santos.
Referee: Falla Ndoye (Senegal).
Clockwatch: Tunisia 2-1 Morocco
94 mins: The referee blows the whistle for full-time and the Tunisian bench charge on to the pitch to celebrate their first ever Cup of Nations title.
91 mins: Morocco get what is probably their last chance with a free-kick 25 yards out but it is punched clear by Boumnijel.
90 mins: Four minutes of stoppage time will be added.
89 mins: Maoroccan tempers are starting to fray now as the final whistle approaches.
86 mins: Dos Santos is too quick for his marker but with only the keeper to beat he sends his shot well over the bar.
84 mins: The substitute Mahdhebi tries to chip the Moroccan keeper but the shot sails high over the goal.
82 mins: Tunisia seem intent to do what they can to take time up before the final whistle.
79 mins: Boumnijel looks much more comfortable in the Tunisian goal this half.
76 mins: The Moroccan captain Noureddine Naybet is booked for a challenge on Trabelsi on the right of the midfield.
73 mins: Jaouad Zairi comes on for Roumani to boost the Moroccan attack.
69 mins: Jaziri is substituted by the Tunisian coach and replaced by Imed Mhadhebi.
68 mins: Morocco win a free-kick 25 yards out which Mokhtari fires in. Hadji gets a head to it but it just sneaks over the bar.
62 mins: Safri comes off for Morocco and is replaced by Moha Yaagoubi.
58 mins: Morocco are awarded a free-kick 20 yards out but Safri's effort is headed clear.
56 mins: Benachour is brought off and replaced by Kales Ghodhbane. Bouazizi comes back on as well.
55 mins: The goal has sent the huge Tunisian crowd back into song.
54 mins: Bouazizi is stretchered off after a challenge in the middle of the park which results in a Tunisian free-kick.
51 mins: GOAL Fouhami makes a terrible mistake allowing Ziad Jaziri to put the hosts ahead. The goalkeeper slips as he tries to control Clayton's cross and Jaziri latches on to the loose ball for a simple stroke home.
Tunisia 2-1 Morocco
50 mins: The tempo of the game has definately slowed in the early part of the second half.
49 mins: Slim Benachour takes the free-kick but it is a poor effort that sails high and wide of the goal.
48 mins: Tunisia get a free-kick in a dangerous position as Hadji brings down Bouazizi near the top of the 18 yard box.
45 mins: Morocco get the second-half underway in Rades.
47 mins: The Senegalese referee blows the whistle for half-time.
45 mins: Jaziri continues to be a handful for the Moroccan defence. He jinks clear on the right but Ouaddou clears the shot for a corner. Both Bouazizi and Hagui rise for the corner kick, Bouazizi gets there first but his header goes over the bar.
44 mins: The Tunisian crowd has quietened a notch since the Moroccan goal.
42 mins: Chammakh has a chance to put his side ahead with a tight-angled shot from the left byline. A nervous-looking Boumnijel can only punch it away.
37 mins: GOAL Mokhtari also picks up his fourth goal of the tournament, heading home a well-placed chip-back in the box from Hadji, who had made a lovely run down the right byline.
Tunisia 1-1 Morocco
34 mins: Regragui tries a snap shot from outside the box but it is well picked up by the Tunisia keeper Boumnijel.
30 mins: Morocco get a free-kick to the right of the box, the shot is fired in but is deflected out for a corner.
28 mins: Youssef Hadji attempts a long-range strike from 25 yards out but the effort goes well wide.
23 mins: Clayton curls his free-kick in but it is punched out by keeper Fouhami.
22 mins:Akram Roumani picks up a yellow card for a foul on Trebelsi just outside the right of the 18 yard box.
19 mins: Adel Chedli should have doubled it for Tunisia, latching on to a cross on the left but his shot from well inside the 18 yard box goes well over the bar. The Moroccan defence is not looking at all convincing.
17 mins: Mokhtari could have put Morocco level but his shot inside the box goes just wide.
14 mins: Dos Santos has another great chance, latching on to a long ball over the top from Riadh Bouazizi but the Brazilian-born player does not get enough weight behind his shot and it goes straight to the hands of the diving Moroccan keeper, Khalid Fouhami.
10 mins: The pace of the game is not slowing at all and the Tunisians are being spurred on by a capacity and vocal crowd.
7 mins: Jaziri gets clear down the left but the ball is eventually smothered by the Moroccan goal keeper.
4 mins: GOAL Tunisia's other Brazilian-born player Francileudo Dos Santos latches on to a cross from Mehdi Nafti to head home into the bottom corner. It's his fourth of the tournament.
Tunisia 1-0 Morocco.
3 mins: The match starts at a frenetic pace. Clayton, the Brazilian-born player has an early chance for Tunisia, firing in on the volley from the left but the keeper dives to save and punches the ball wide.
The hosts Tunisia get the African Cup of Nations final underway in the Rades stadiu,
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Tunisia: 1-Ali Boumnijel; 3-Karim Hagui, 15-Radhi Jaidi, 6-Hatem Trabelsi, 20-Clayton; 8-Mehdi Nafti, 18-Slim Benachour, 13-Riadh Bouazizi, 14-Adel Chedli; 5-Ziad Jaziri, 11-Francileudo dos Santos
Morocco: 1- Khalid Fouhami; 3-Akram Roumani, 4-Abdeslam Ouaddou, 5-Talal El Karkouri, 6-Noureddine Naybet; 2-Walid Regragui, 8-Abdelkrim Kaissi, 15-Youssef Safri, 20-Youssef Hadji; 17-Marouane Chammakh, 16-Youssef Mokhtari
Referee: Falla Ndoye (Senegal)
An error from Morocco keeper Khalid Fouhami gifted Tunisia their first-ever African Cup of Nations title.
Striker Ziad Jaziri poked home the winner six minutes after the break when Fouhami fumbled Jose Clayton's low cross into the penalty area.
The suspended Khaled Badra and Riadh Bouazizi lift the trophy
Tunisia took the lead after just four minutes when Francileudo dos Santos finished off Mehdi Nafti's cross.
Morocco bounced back just before half-time when Youssef Mokhtari headed in Youssef Hadji's clipped centre.
Defeat for Morocco was hard on an unfancied side, whose young attack, which included Youssef Mokhtari, Youssef Hadji and Marouane Chamakh dazzled defences during the three weeks of competition.
In the final though, that trio and the rest of Morocco's attacking force was well shackled by a tough Tunisia defence, marshalled by Ajax's Hatem Trabelsi.
Morocco's backline also proved stubborn resistance in a match which produced few clear-cut scoring opportunities.
That said, it took only four minutes for Morocco's defence to be exposed when the hard-working Nafti flighted in a superb cross from the right-wing which the relatively diminutive Dos Santos nodded into the goal.
A frenetic few minutes followed, as Tunisia pressed forward for a second.
Sochaux midfielder Adel Chedli picked a bad time to leave his shooting boots at home when he blasted high and wide from another Nafti centre.
A battle in the middle of the Stade Rades pitch followed with Tunisia looking to shut up shop as early as midway through the first-half, with Morocco seeking a way back into the match.
And with just a few minutes left before the interval break it seemed that Roger Lemerr's side had stifled all Morocco had to offer.
However, Hadji, who has shone in almost every game at this Cup of Nations, had another plans.
The brother of the more illustrious Mustapha, delivered a carefully weighted cross which eluded all but Mokhtari who sent his bullet header past keeper Ali Boumnijel.
Game on. But such was 100mph feeling of the opening half, things had to slow down.
The tempo did, but somebody obviously forgot to tell Fouhami that he still had to keep his reactions sharp.
The keeper has shone throughout the tournament for Morocco having conceded just two goals before the final, but his blunder for Tunisia's second is what he will be remembered for in this tournament.
Tunisia and Morocco fought a tense battle
Clayton, who earlier tested the keeper with a wicked volley, delivered a softly struck cross into the six-yard-area.
Fouhami inexplicably failed to collect the ball, leaving Jaziri to take advantage and tap in.
It was expected that a Morocco onslaught was to follow, but that never occured.
The Atlas Lions were a spent force. The youthful vigour had finally run out of steam.
For Lemerre's Tunisia though, their dogged determination in all areas of the pitch, proved to be enough on the day.
Of course, had Fouhami not fumbled, it may have been a different story.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morocco: Khalid Fouhami; Hoalid Regragui, Abdeslam Ouaddou, Noureddine Naybet, Talal El Karkouri, Akram Roumani (Jaouad Zairi, 73); Abdelkrim Kissi, Youssef Safri (Mohammed El Yaagoubi, 63), Youssef Mokhtari; Youssef Hadji (Nabil Baha, 87), Marouane Chamakh.
Tunisia: Ali Boumnijel; Hatem Trabelsi, Radhi Jaidi, Karim Hagui, Jose Clayton; Riadh Bouazizi, Mehdi Nafti (Jawhar Mnari, 46), Adel Chadli; Slim Benachour (Kais Ghodhbane, 57); Zied Jaziri (Imed Mhadhebi, 70), Santos.
Referee: Falla Ndoye (Senegal).
Clockwatch: Tunisia 2-1 Morocco
94 mins: The referee blows the whistle for full-time and the Tunisian bench charge on to the pitch to celebrate their first ever Cup of Nations title.
91 mins: Morocco get what is probably their last chance with a free-kick 25 yards out but it is punched clear by Boumnijel.
90 mins: Four minutes of stoppage time will be added.
89 mins: Maoroccan tempers are starting to fray now as the final whistle approaches.
86 mins: Dos Santos is too quick for his marker but with only the keeper to beat he sends his shot well over the bar.
84 mins: The substitute Mahdhebi tries to chip the Moroccan keeper but the shot sails high over the goal.
82 mins: Tunisia seem intent to do what they can to take time up before the final whistle.
79 mins: Boumnijel looks much more comfortable in the Tunisian goal this half.
76 mins: The Moroccan captain Noureddine Naybet is booked for a challenge on Trabelsi on the right of the midfield.
73 mins: Jaouad Zairi comes on for Roumani to boost the Moroccan attack.
69 mins: Jaziri is substituted by the Tunisian coach and replaced by Imed Mhadhebi.
68 mins: Morocco win a free-kick 25 yards out which Mokhtari fires in. Hadji gets a head to it but it just sneaks over the bar.
62 mins: Safri comes off for Morocco and is replaced by Moha Yaagoubi.
58 mins: Morocco are awarded a free-kick 20 yards out but Safri's effort is headed clear.
56 mins: Benachour is brought off and replaced by Kales Ghodhbane. Bouazizi comes back on as well.
55 mins: The goal has sent the huge Tunisian crowd back into song.
54 mins: Bouazizi is stretchered off after a challenge in the middle of the park which results in a Tunisian free-kick.
51 mins: GOAL Fouhami makes a terrible mistake allowing Ziad Jaziri to put the hosts ahead. The goalkeeper slips as he tries to control Clayton's cross and Jaziri latches on to the loose ball for a simple stroke home.
Tunisia 2-1 Morocco
50 mins: The tempo of the game has definately slowed in the early part of the second half.
49 mins: Slim Benachour takes the free-kick but it is a poor effort that sails high and wide of the goal.
48 mins: Tunisia get a free-kick in a dangerous position as Hadji brings down Bouazizi near the top of the 18 yard box.
45 mins: Morocco get the second-half underway in Rades.
47 mins: The Senegalese referee blows the whistle for half-time.
45 mins: Jaziri continues to be a handful for the Moroccan defence. He jinks clear on the right but Ouaddou clears the shot for a corner. Both Bouazizi and Hagui rise for the corner kick, Bouazizi gets there first but his header goes over the bar.
44 mins: The Tunisian crowd has quietened a notch since the Moroccan goal.
42 mins: Chammakh has a chance to put his side ahead with a tight-angled shot from the left byline. A nervous-looking Boumnijel can only punch it away.
37 mins: GOAL Mokhtari also picks up his fourth goal of the tournament, heading home a well-placed chip-back in the box from Hadji, who had made a lovely run down the right byline.
Tunisia 1-1 Morocco
34 mins: Regragui tries a snap shot from outside the box but it is well picked up by the Tunisia keeper Boumnijel.
30 mins: Morocco get a free-kick to the right of the box, the shot is fired in but is deflected out for a corner.
28 mins: Youssef Hadji attempts a long-range strike from 25 yards out but the effort goes well wide.
23 mins: Clayton curls his free-kick in but it is punched out by keeper Fouhami.
22 mins:Akram Roumani picks up a yellow card for a foul on Trebelsi just outside the right of the 18 yard box.
19 mins: Adel Chedli should have doubled it for Tunisia, latching on to a cross on the left but his shot from well inside the 18 yard box goes well over the bar. The Moroccan defence is not looking at all convincing.
17 mins: Mokhtari could have put Morocco level but his shot inside the box goes just wide.
14 mins: Dos Santos has another great chance, latching on to a long ball over the top from Riadh Bouazizi but the Brazilian-born player does not get enough weight behind his shot and it goes straight to the hands of the diving Moroccan keeper, Khalid Fouhami.
10 mins: The pace of the game is not slowing at all and the Tunisians are being spurred on by a capacity and vocal crowd.
7 mins: Jaziri gets clear down the left but the ball is eventually smothered by the Moroccan goal keeper.
4 mins: GOAL Tunisia's other Brazilian-born player Francileudo Dos Santos latches on to a cross from Mehdi Nafti to head home into the bottom corner. It's his fourth of the tournament.
Tunisia 1-0 Morocco.
3 mins: The match starts at a frenetic pace. Clayton, the Brazilian-born player has an early chance for Tunisia, firing in on the volley from the left but the keeper dives to save and punches the ball wide.
The hosts Tunisia get the African Cup of Nations final underway in the Rades stadiu,
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Tunisia: 1-Ali Boumnijel; 3-Karim Hagui, 15-Radhi Jaidi, 6-Hatem Trabelsi, 20-Clayton; 8-Mehdi Nafti, 18-Slim Benachour, 13-Riadh Bouazizi, 14-Adel Chedli; 5-Ziad Jaziri, 11-Francileudo dos Santos
Morocco: 1- Khalid Fouhami; 3-Akram Roumani, 4-Abdeslam Ouaddou, 5-Talal El Karkouri, 6-Noureddine Naybet; 2-Walid Regragui, 8-Abdelkrim Kaissi, 15-Youssef Safri, 20-Youssef Hadji; 17-Marouane Chammakh, 16-Youssef Mokhtari
Referee: Falla Ndoye (Senegal)