Achraf Hakimi’s free-kick sent Morocco into the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals as they came from behind to beat Malawi 2-1.
Gabadinho Mhango had put the underdogs in front early on with an unbelievable strike from 40-yards.
He picked up the ball more than 40 yards out, looked up and saw Yassine Bounou off his line, and then let fly with an effort that sailed over the goalkeeper’s head and into the top corner as Malawi took the lead in outrageous fashion.
However, Morocco responded well and they got the equaliser they deserved just before the break through Youssef En-Nesyri.
With 20 minutes remaining, Hakimi completed the comeback in style with his second free-kick goal of the tournament, booking Morocco’s place in the last eight where they will face either Ivory Coast or Egypt.
This was Malawi’s first ever appearance in the AFCON knockout stages, but their nerves would have been settled by moment of pure brilliance from Mhango after seven minutes.
Copyright © 2024 Completesports.com All rights reserved. The information contained in Completesports.com may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the prior written authority of Completesports.com.
COMMENTS
Imagine a defenderman scoring from 2 freekicks!
The clueless PINNICK for alla his gkobe trotting on tax payers money couldn’t successfully convince the likes of OLISEH, LUKMON or EZE; three players who are very good dead ball specialists compared to what SE got at present.
Imagine that last minute freekick opportunity wasted by SIMON MOSES and cast your mind back to BECKHAM DAVID (Eng/Grc 2002’WC final game at Wembley), MAHREZ against AKPEYI that 86 mins or so in 2019, MESSI v ENYEAMA group stage 2014 WC!
Shame that 200m people no single dead ball specialists whencompared ENGLAND is spoilt for choices between GREALISH, RASHFORD, SHAW, KANE, TEIPPIER, TRENT ARNOLD etc
Moses Simon has scored a free kick before. That was under Oliseh. The problem with Nigeria players is consistency. Other African players measures ther achievements with European players hence you see pleyers like Drogba, Yaya Toure, Eto, Mane, Salah etc being the best in their clubsides
But coming to Nigerian players, a little success gets into their heads especially those exchange rates
Nigerian players finds it difficult to consistently improve on their games hence they declines instead of improving look at Iwobi, kelechi Iheanacho, Nwakali etc Uzoho dropping from Depotivo to Omenia too
Hakimi mad o, that guy is so talented he has more ligue 1 goals than Messi imagine