Gabon/Morocco: Hosts in Do-Or-Die Clash With Atlas Lions

Barry Aldworth/BackpagePix
Seydou Keita of Mali, left, and Cedric Moubamba of Gabon.
26 January 2012
allAfrica.com
By Nick Said

Gabon coach Gernot Rohr has described Friday's 2012 Africa Cup of Nations Group C opponents Morocco as one of the best teams in the tournament.

But after seeing top names Senegal crash out to co-hosts Equatorial Guinea on Wednesday, the North Africans are now also in a do-or-die fight for their lives against the Gabonese at their home stadium, Stade d'Angondjé in Libreville.

Morocco's defeat in their opener against Tunisia was a major surprise, but it was their own doing - they missed a number of chances to wrap up the game.

Another loss and they are out, given that it is virtually inconceivable that Tunisia will not get something from their fixture against Niger.

This might be a tournament of surprises, but such a fate for Tunisia would be a complete shock.

A draw and Morocco just about live to fight another day. They would then need to beat Niger in their final game on Monday and hope Gabon lose to Tunisia.

For that reason Morocco coach Eric Gerets has billed this match as a "final" for his side, and says he hopes his players have learned the lessons of the Tunisia debacle.

"Of course there is a lot of pressure on us and there is no discussion about the fact we have to put up an extraordinary performance. But we have 23 players and staff to help each other," Gerets said.

"It is our fault we lost the game against Tunisia, we lost concentration and discipline in the second half. It should be a good lesson to the players."

Key to any success will be getting the Moroccan misfiring forwards in form. There could be changes after ineffectual displays from the likes of Oussama Aissaidi and Maroune Chamakh, with Adel Taarabt and Youssouf El Arabi potential replacements in the starting line-up.

Gabon are well aware of the task ahead of them, according to Rohr. The side missed the defensive services of Moise Brou Apanga, the French Ligue 1 defender who was injured in the final training session before the opening game. But he is expected to be back for the Morocco clash.

"We know we have difficult matches to come and Morocco for me are one of the best teams at the tournament," Rohr said.

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