Mauritania held Angola to a barren draw in their Group D encounter played at the Miloud Hadefi Stadium in Oran in the ongoing African Nations Championship in Algeria.With only three teams in the Group and only one team progressing to the quarters, the stalemate leaves the group open ahead of the final Group D match on Tuesday when Mali take on Mauritania in what will be a decider on who advances to the knockout stages.As expected it was the Angolans who pressed for an early lead but were let down by poor decision-making in the final third as Mauritania thwarted all their attacks.FULL-TIME! ⏰ 🇦🇴 Angola 0-0 Mauritania 🇲🇷 It is all square in our first game of the day 🤝#TotalEnergiesCHAN2022 | #ANGMTN pic.twitter.com/Ott9jdGJxx— MARHABA (@CAF_Online) January 20, 2023 Angola was lucky to survive a scare in the 17th minute after failing to clear a cross which caused a scramble in the box as Sidi Amar pounced on a loose ball which fortunately for Angola, rebounded off the crowded bodies to keep the scores level.Minutes later, it was the Angolans who nearly found the opener after a good run down the right from the dangerous Deivi Vieira concluding with a pin-point cross from the winger to Jaredi Teixeira who was unlucky to see his shot go over the bar.##NAJAVA_MECA_6946176##In the second half, Mauritania came back the stronger side and their efforts almost paid off in the 55th minute after their captain, Mouaye Khalil did well to go past two defenders to unleash a powerful grass-cutter that was met by an equally alert Hugo Marques who made the save.With the pressure mounting, Angola coach, Pedro Goncalves introduced Joao Diogo and Keliano Manuel in the place of Teixeira and Herenilson Do Carmo to bolster his attack and stabilise the midfield. The move almost paid off immediately after both players were involved in a good build-up that concluded with Vieira getting his second chance at goal but saw his shot being saved by the on-rushing Namori Diaw.Gor Mahia boss spells out transfer strategyDiogo remained a threat to Mauritania and almost punished a lapse of concentration from their defence after towering over two defenders to head the ball from a Corte De Jesus cross, which was acrobatically saved by the keeper in the 83rd minute.With just seconds left on the clock, Angola could have found the all-important winner after a great build up from the left saw Laurindo Aurelio threading a delightful ball past the face off goal but a lack of composure from Vieira resulted in the shot going wide off target in front of an empty net.
