Football – Gabon slipped to a 3-2 defeat to Mozambique in their Group F clash in Agadir, which ended a 40-year wait for a victory at the continental finals for the southern African side.
Gabon have now lost their opening two games while Mozambique have three points from their two fixtures.
Mozambique scored their goals via Faisal Bangal, Geny Catamo and Diogo Calila in a deserved victory in which they were led by 42-year-old winger Elias Pelembe. It is their first win at the continental finals at the 17th attempt since their debut in 1986.
Gabon stayed in the contest to the end as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alex Moucketou-Moussounda netted goals, but back-to-back defeats mean their hopes of reaching the Round of 16 are hanging by a thread with a match against defending champions Ivory Coast to come on Wednesday.
Mozambique had managed four draws in their previous 16 Cup of Nations matches and never been past the group stages.
They scored the opening goal their attacking play deserved in the 37th minute as Catamo’s corner was headed in unmarked by Bangal.
The Mambas were awarded a penalty two minutes later when their captain Pelembe was hauled down in the box by Bruno Ecuele Manga. Catamo sent the goalkeeper the wrong way from the spot to make it 2-0.
It was one-way traffic at that point but Gabon pulled a goal back before the break as Didier Ndong’s thunderous shot from 30 yards was only parried by Mozambique goalkeeper Ernan Siluane and Aubameyang followed up to turn in the rebound.
But Mozambique made a strong start to the second period and extended their lead again in the 51st minute when Witi’s cross from the left was met by an unmarked Diogo Calila on the run and he buried his header for his first international goal.
Gabon got back to within one goal when Mozambique failed to clear from a corner and after a goal-mouth scramble, Moucketou-Moussounda poked the ball into the net, but they could not force an equaliser after that.
l Sudan profited from a late own goal to beat Equatorial Guinea 1-0, picking up their first points of the tournament in Morocco.
Mohamed Eisa’s free kick in the 74th minute was cleared by Equatorial Guinea’s Luis Asue but struck teammate Saul Coco and ricocheted back past the despairing dive of goalkeeper Jesus Owono.
Sudan had an early opportunity to go ahead as Eisa had a stab at a loose ball close in but the fourth-minute effort went wide.
He had another narrow miss with a shot in the 60th minute that was goalbound and beat Owono, only to be blocked just short of the goal line by Equatorial Guinea defender Esteban Orozco. Equatorial Guinea’s Pedro Obiang had their two best chances of the first half at Stade Mohamed V but miscued an effort in front of goal before, on the stroke of halftime, heading onto the roof of the net with Sudan goalkeeper Monged Elneel out of position.
There was a lengthy delay in the first half when Elneel suffered a knock to the head and was checked for suspected concussion but he was able to continue.
Equatorial Guinea substitute Jose Nabil proved a handful for Sudan after coming on at halftime, while veteran striker Emilio Nsue had a late chance to equalise but hit his effort narrowly wide.
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