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Olympics 2000
Sydney - The
African Qualification
parallel
GROUP C last matches:
March
26th, 1500 GMT Morocco - Côte d'Ivoire
2:1 (final, Morocco qualified)
March
26th, 1430 GMT Tunisia - Egypt 0:3 (final)
This had been the situation
before the matches:
Only the first will qualify,
after the results of yesterday, the second placed will have no chance!
A pity as all three teams look very strog.
Morocco will qualify
by a victory. A defeat means they are out.
If they draw, it will depend
on the outcome of the Tunisia-Egypt match.
Côte d'Ivoire
will have to win at Morocco and keep an eye on the Tunisia-Egypt scoreline.
If Egypt wins too it will be a matter of goal difference.
Egypt will need a
draw or a Côte d'Ivoire victory in the other match. They will have
to win their own match as well: If there is a draw between Morocco and
Côte d'Ivoire, they will have to win by one or two goals, depending
on the exact scores.
If Côte d'Ivoire wins,
they will have to catch up the Ivorian three goal edge. Whether they will
need a victory four or five goals higher will depend on the exact scores.
Too complicated?
Now: Likely is: Morocco wins, Morocco qualifies (100% sure), Côte
d'Ivoire wins, Côte d'Ivoire qualifies (80% sure), Morocco and Côte
d'Ivoire draw and Egypt wins -> Egypt qualifies (85% sure)
Morocco |
5 |
9-7 |
10 |
Côte d'Ivoire |
5 |
12-8 |
8 |
Egypt |
5 |
8-7 |
8 |
Tunisia |
5 |
5-12 |
1 |
Morocco - Côte d'Ivoire
14:30-15:00:
the match will begin 30
minutes later than the other |
Tunisia - Egypt
14:30-15:00:
Only a few fans as Tunisia
is long out of the race. Egypt begin very concentrated and uses the half
hour advantage to provide Morocco and Côte d'Ivoire with a shock
that will make them nervous:
It is 0:2 after 13 minutes!
The second goal by #9 (Ahmed
Billal?), a deflected shot which takes a lucky curve into the Tunisian
goal.
Egypt creates more dangerous
situations while Tunisia, who have had defence problems, only threaten
the Egypt goal very sporadically |
15:00-15:30:
Both teams as known: Côte
d'Ivoire with their stylish midfield game and Morocco smartly uncovering
the defensive positioning errors of their opponents, very alert.
Both have a must score opportunity
in the first 15 minutes.
('16) Another big opportunity
for Morocco - but the Ivorian keeper can save. It smells like goals.
('23) Zezeto (Zeze) (CIV)
with a couple of soloruns stopped short.
('26) A fine attack by
the Ivorians initiated by #4 with a little luck as balls get deflected
and from about 10 meters they score - 0:1
('28) the Ivorian keeper
has difficulties handling a long range header which then bounces off the
crossbar.
('30) another confusion
in the Ivorian defence and the dangerous #14 scores from close range -
1:1
('30) almost an own goal
by the Ivorians - with this defence they will have to score a lot of goals |
15:00-15:30:
Tunisia has found into the
match, Egypt more drawn back now. Tunisia have overcome the early shock
and even can create some threatening scenes. At the end of the half another
opportunity for Egypt.
Halftime 0:2
(With this scoreline, Egypt
needs a draw in the other match) |
15:30-16:00:
('44) a Morocco counter
in which #18 and #16 confuse 4 defenders by their running paths and #18
spots the such created gab and scores from 16 meters - 2:1, brilliant goal
('45) a big header opportunity
for Morocco when an attacker is unmarked again, wide
('injury time) also a header
opportunity for Côte d'Ivoire, wide
Halftime 2:1
With this scoreline, Morocco
is qualified, but there is still a half to play. Côte d'Ivoire needs
to win. At this moment a draw would bring Egypt to Sydney. |
15:30-16:00:
the match continues as the
first half had ended: Tunisia with the edge in ball possession, attacking,
creating a few chances but cannot force the ball into the net.
Egypt drawn back, trying
to conserve their two goal advantage. They might know the scoreline of
the other match and just rely on the Ivorians will not win. If Tunisia
scores only one goal, this will be costly! The Egyptians need a two goal
margin at this point (if the other match ends in a
draw - if Côte d'Ivoire wins by one goal Egypt will need a 5 goal
margin!).
(remember: this all only
matters if Morocco does not win)
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16:00-16:30:
('48) anotther of the dangerous
Morocco counters: a long ball on #14 who passes the goalkeeper but cannot
get the ball into the goal from a difficult angle
the match becomes more
tensed when the referee handles it a bit too easily and some players seek
retaliation themselves, after some minutes it calms down again
('60) exciting scene in
the Morocco penalty area, after the keeper has left his goal and is played
out but several defenders can obstruct the way to the goal
Ivorians attack more
and more desperately and becomne open for dangerous counters, when they
try offside as means against the fast Morocco attackers
('69) great save by the
Ivorian keeper when the offside trap fails and leaves him against two attackers |
16:00-16:30:
('injury time) Egypt,
who have taken over command again, score in injury time - 0:3
Final result
0:3
Egypt will qualify if Morocco-Côte
d'Ivoire ends with a draw, otherwise the winner of the other match will
go to Sydney |
16:30-17:00:
It is difficult for the
Ivorians to play through the crowded defence - the first goal would be
the most difficult
-('75) Aruna wants a penalty
but gets a yellow card
-('78)
the referee sends off Ivorian #4 who comes late with a challenge and receives
a second yellow card and leaves the pitch crying (the first yellow card
had been doubtful if I remember right)
It is difficult for the
Ivorians to play through the Many interruptions - there should be at least
5 minutes injury time added
Many fouls - the Ivorians
are desperate, Morocco has to avoid a goal by all means. The referee has
his problems in this difficult match, sometimes he does not see - other
times he seems to try to award each player with a yellow card
-('88) Morocco keeper masters
a Aruna 18 meter shot
-('90) opportunity for Morocco
to seal it but shot goes wide
only 3 m,inutes injury
time - a joke?
('injury time) fouls eat
up half of the time
the match is over - Morocco
is qualified for Sydney 2000
Final result 2:1 |
16:30-17:00:
N |
Morocco |
6 |
11-8 |
13 |
Egypt |
6 |
11-7 |
11 |
Côte d'Ivoire |
6 |
13-10 |
8 |
Tunisia |
6 |
5-15 |
1 |
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