There were three surprises in yesterday’s game between Morocco and DR Congo. First, the result, as fourth nation in the world after FIFA World Cup was expected to win over Congo, but Hakimi’s opener was nullified by Chancel Mbemba’s equalizer and the game finished 1-1. Second, it was the shuffle which happened after the game, which is quite unusual for these two squads and in the end, the biggest one was that Morocco boss Walid Regragui was in the center of it. Usually very calm coach appeared to have something insulting to Mbemba after the match, which provoked the Congo captain to say that what was said was ‘unprintable’.La situation était très tendue encore les Marocains et les Congolais à l’issue du match nul (1-1) entre les 2 équipes. 😶🌫️ #CAN2023pic.twitter.com/T3PhTu2ST4— PFC (@PassionFootClub) January 21, 2024 When the game finished, Regragui sought Mbemba when the player was on his knees giving thanks in a personal moment. Mbemba took Regragui’s hand and clapped him on the back as it appeared he thought it was a friendly exchange. But Regragui kept hold of Mbemba’s hand and carried on talking. The player angrily pulled his hand away and gestured for the video referee before players from both sides jumped in.AFCON2023: Morocco forced to wait longer for round of sixteen qualification after draw with DR CongoMbemba, who was also a subject of racist abuse on social media after this incident, indicated that there is more into this than people know, but declined to go into details.”I respect the coach, who is a great man. The television cut the videos, but I have them. I don’t need to throw them around. I keep my silence, it’s better, that’s how I am. I don’t need to shoot anyone but God’s justice is there. When I play football, I play normally; I’m not a great player. This word that he said, it is the coach himself who will say it. He himself will speak” said Marseille defender.El delantero del Sevilla, En-Nesyri, perdió la cabeza completamente tras el pitido final yéndose a por un jugador de RD Congo y siendo parado por su ex compañero Yassine Bounou 🤯 pic.twitter.com/6NxKP7ycDe— ÁFRICA FUTBOLERA (@AfricaFutbolera) January 21, 2024 On the other side, Regragui explained the situation and gave his version of the incident.“I didn’t like that because he insinuated a lot of things. Before I went to shake his hand, he challenged us, me and my assistant, on the touchline before the end of the match. He spoke to us badly. Despite that, at the end of the match, I go to shake his hand to also ask him: ‘Why did you speak to us like that?’ and then he looks elsewhere, in an ‘I’m not going to shake your hand’ kind of way. I kept hold of his hand. You could see that in the images and he started shouting. I told him ‘You’re showing off’ and he replied: ‘You’re treating me like an idiot.’ There is no issue if he heard that, even if I never said it, but by speaking as he did, he has insinuated that my comments are racist. It’s dishonest. Since he only spoke about religion in his speech, he ought to be a little more honest with himself” said Morocco boss.AFCON 2023- GROUP STAGERound 2ThursdayEquatorial Guinea – Guinea Bissau 4-2 (1-1)/Nsue 21, 51, 61, Miranda 46 – Orosco 37, Ze Turbo 90+3/Ivory Coast – Nigeria 0-1 (0-0)/Troost-Ekong 54 pen/Egypt – Ghana 2-2 (0-1)/Marmoush 69, M. Mohamed 74 – Kudus 45+3, 71/FridayCape Verde – Mozambique 3-0 (1-0)/Bebe 32, Ryan Mendes 51, Kevin Pina 69/Senegal – Cameroon 3-1 (1-0)/I. Sarr 16, H. Diallo 71, Mane 90+5 – Castelletto 83/Guinea – Gambia 1-0 (0-0)/A. Camara 69/Algeria – Burkina Faso 2-2 (0-1)/B. Bounedjah 51,90+5- M. Konate 45+3, B. Traore 71/Mauritania-Angola 2-3 (1-1)/Bouna 43, Koita 58 – Dala 30,50, Gilberto 53/Tunisia – Mali 1-1 (1-1)/Rafia 20 – Sinayoko 10/SundayMorocco – DR Congo 1-1 (1-0)/Hakimi 6 – Silas 76/Zambia – Tanzania 1-1 (0-1)/P. Daka 88 – Msuva 11/S.Africa – Namibia 4-0 (3-0)/Pau (p) 14, Zwane 25, 40, Taseko 75/Monday20;00 (16.0) Guinea Bissau (7.00) Nigeria (1.18)20;00 (9.00) Equatorial Guinea (4.40) Ivory Coast (1.40)23;00 (4.50) Mozambique (3.45) Ghana (1.75)23:00 (7.25) (4.00) Egypt (1.50)***odds are subject to change***
