MOROCCO and Ghana meet today as both sides kick off their AFCON campaigns.
Premier League interest is high with Arsenal star Thomas Partey in action, alongside Prem based team-mates Daniel Amartey and Jordan Ayew.
Ghana are aiming for their fifth African Cup of Nations success, while Morocco last won the compeition in 1976.
- Kick-off: 4pm
- TV channel/ live stream: Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Football
- Morocco XI: Bono; Mmaee, Masina, Aguerd; Hakimi, Saiss, Ounahi, Amallah; Aboukhlal, Boufal, Louza.
- Ghana XI: Wollacott; Rahman, Amartey, Djiku, Yiadom; Paintsil, Baba, Partey, Sulemana; A. Ayew, J. Ayew.
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Morocco 1-0 Ghana
88 mins: Morocco are keeping the ball in the Ghana half. The Black Stars look as though they have run out of legs here.
Bit of handbags going on as well as a Aboukhlal has gone down off the ball.
Nothing in it, really.
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Morocco 1-0 Ghana
87 mins: Is it too little too late for Ghana?
OH THAT WOULD HAVE SEALED IT! The delivery is on the button this time from a Moroccan free-kick and Mmaee rises highest but heads wide from inside the six-yard box!
Should have been 2-0.
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Morocco 1-0 Ghana
86 mins: SUBS! Suddenly the Ghanaian bench bursts into life as they prepare to make three changes with five minutes of normal time remaining.
Tetteh, Kyereh and Issahaku are coming on for Paintsil, J. Ayew and Sulemana.
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Morocco 1-0 Ghana
83 mins: It was pinballing around inside the Ghana penalty area and when it fell to the Angers man Boufal he turned and drove a thunderous effort beyond Wollacott in double quick time!
Great finish. Finally we have a goal!
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GOAL! Morocco 1-0 Ghana
83 mins: THERE’S THE GOAL! Boufal has surely won the game for Morocco!
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Morocco 0-0 Ghana
82 mins: This game is there for the taking if one team just decides to commit a couple more men forward as we enter the latter stages of this opening Group C clash.
A reminder that Comoros vs Gabon will also be covered live by SunSport later on this evening. That one kicks off at 7pm GMT.
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Morocco 0-0 Ghana
80 mins: A change of shirt and Andre Ayew has re-entered the fray – bandage on head and all.
We have 10 minutes remaining. Can either side find a winner?
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Morocco 0-0 Ghana
78 mins: SUB! Tissoudali has come on for Louza as Morocco twitch first in making substitutions.
Ayew is still off the pitch and waiting to come on as Morocco come forward.
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Morocco 0-0 Ghana
78 mins: Ayew is the player who went down in the head clash. He has since been taped up with a bandage around his head. He was also bleeding very heavily.
Looks like he is going to carry on?! A suspect decision, that.
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Morocco 0-0 Ghana
75 mins: Ghana continuing to put their foot on the gas now. Partey stands over a free-kick to the right of the penalty area.
It’s an excellent delivery and Andre Ayew gets something on it but it’s down into the ground and straight into the arms of Bono.
Looks like there’s been a clash of heads too so this could be a stoppage in play.
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Morocco 0-0 Ghana
73 mins: OH THERE’S THE CHANCE OF THE MATCH!
Sulemana springs down the right and cuts a cross back. It’s intercepted and cleared but only as far as Paintsil on the edge of the area. He brings the ball down and curls one towards the top corner but Bono flings his hand to it and tips the ball away!
So close to a Ghana opener.
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Morocco 0-0 Ghana
72 mins: Louza delivers the free-kick into the box from the right-hand side but yet AGAIN it is a dreadful set-piece. It drifts over everyone’s heads and goes out for a Ghana throw.
Surely there is one more big chance left in this game? Please tell me there is!
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Morocco 0-0 Ghana
70 mins: Hakimi has not been anywhere near the level he has shown at PSG. He has failed to provide any sort of real attacking outlet down the right.
As I say that, he draws a free-kick as Baba chops him down.
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Morocco 0-0 Ghana
68 mins: Ounahi and Hakimi fail to link up properly and the ball rolls out for a Ghana throw on the far touchline.
There is definitely an element of rustiness on the part of both teams. They look more like individual strangers than a team at the moment. And that is at its clearest in the final third.
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Morocco 0-0 Ghana
66 mins: Andre Ayew sees action at both ends! He goes in the referee’s book but then at the other end has an opportunity in front of goal.
The former Swansea City man tries to hook a volley in between Bono’s posts but it’s over the top.
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Morocco 0-0 Ghana
64 mins: Paintsil does exceptionally well to drift past a couple of Moroccan challenges but Aguerd does brilliantly to get back at him and usher the ball out for a goal kick.
Been a poor night for the forward players so far – but the defending has been rather impressive. From both sides.
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Morocco 0-0 Ghana
62 mins: A little dip in the tempo of the game after an exciting 10 minutes where both sides pushed for the opening goal.
You do begin to wonder as the match goes on and remains 0-0 whether the two teams will see a point as a positive. Especially given the dangerous Gabon are also in their group.
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Morocco 0-0 Ghana
60 mins: Aboukhlal tries his luck from an acute angle but it flies high and wide. It was never really going to trouble Wollacott.
Morocco come forward once more but Ounahi’s shot is blocked away from a throw.
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Morocco 0-0 Ghana
58 mins: Ghana are creating opportunities all of a sudden!
Jordan Ayew works some space by the right corner flag and fizzes a ball along the box which Masina has to thump clear from inside his own six-yard box.
The best five minutes of the game.
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Morocco 0-0 Ghana
55 mins: Ghana now have a chance on the break but can’t make the most of it!
Andre Ayew is fouled on the edge of the area as he looks to clear his lines but it falls kindly for Paintsil and he sprints away. The Ghanaian covers 50, 60, 70 yards but then can’t pick the pass to Sulemana. Danger averted.
Wasteful from Paintsil having bursted clear.
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Morocco 0-0 Ghana
54 mins: Great chance for Morocco!
Ghana lose it deep in their own half and it’s worked out to Ounahi. He sends a low cross into Boufal who tries an audacious flick but Amartey gets just enough in front of it to put it behind for a corner.
Morocco beginning to press.
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Morocco 0-0 Ghana
52 mins: First piece of quality in this second half as Boufal receives the ball on the right of the penalty area.
He sends a dangerous looking cross into the middle but Aboukhlal is the only Moroccan in there and it’s beyond his run.
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Morocco 0-0 Ghana
50 mins: Ghana attempt their own foray into the Morocco half but Paintsil bundles over Masina in a bid to nick the ball and a free-kick is given.
I’m going to wager that the referee has blown – on average – twice per minute. It’s been that sort of game so far.
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Morocco 0-0 Ghana
48 mins: No changes at half-time by the way. Both managers giving their starting line-ups a bit more time to impress before making any substitutions.
Ounahi is brought down by Partey midway inside the Ghanaian half and Morocco have themselves a good opportunity to get the ball into the box.
They didn’t make much of their set-pieces in the first half but this one is a better delivery…only for Partey to head clear for a throw-in.
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SECOND HALF: Morocco 0-0 Ghana
46 mins: Here we go then. Ghana get us underway in the second half.
Let’s hope for a bit more entertainment in this next 45 minutes.
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