Mauritania displayed a dominant performance as they emerged triumphant with a resounding 3-0 victory against Sudan to move to the top of Group I of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Cote d'Ivoire 2023 qualifiers on Tuesday.
The exhilarating encounter, held at the Agadir Stadium in Morocco, marked the fifth round of the qualifiers, witnessed the Al-Murabitun replicate their previous 3-0 triumph over Nile Crocodiles from last year.
Following their impressive away win, Mauritania now sits atop Group I, amassing a total of eight points. They hold a one-point lead over both DR Congo and Gabon, while Sudan trails behind with six points.
The upcoming decisive sixth and final round of qualifiers in September will feature Mauritania squaring off against Gabon, and the DR Congo locking horns with Sudan, ultimately determining the teams that will secure a spot in the coveted finals in Côte d'Ivoire.
Al-Murabitun wasted no time in asserting their dominance as Noah Mohamed Al-Abd found the back of the net in the 26th minute, granting the visitors a 1-0 lead over Sudan.
Despite the Nile Crocodiles' attempts to mount a comeback, their offensive efforts lacked conviction. The first half concluded with Al-Murabitun comfortably ahead, holding onto their 1-0 advantage.
The second half witnessed a strong start from the Mauritanian national team as Hassan Habib swiftly doubled their lead in the 49th minute, extending the scoreline to 2-0 in favor of Mauritania.
The relentless offensive pressure continued, and in the 55th minute, Hamiya Tangi added a third goal, leaving the Sudanese team grappling with a daunting 3-0 deficit.
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In a bid to salvage the match, Sudan's technical staff made substitutions, introducing Muhammad Arnq and Wasel Al-Fateh for Walid Al-Shula and Athar Al-Taher respectively.
However, these alterations failed to yield any breakthroughs. Mohamed Arang threatened the Mauritanian goalkeeper, Namouri Diaw, in the 74th minute, and Sudanese striker Mohamed Abdel Rahman made an attempt in the 88th minute, but both were unable to find the back of the net. Consequently, the match concluded with a resounding 3-0 victory for the Mauritanian national team.
Mauritania's clinical finishing propelled them to this convincing win, solidifying their position as frontrunners in Group I. As the team celebrates their resounding triumph, their sights are now set on the final round of qualifiers, where they will strive to secure their place in the highly anticipated 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.
