Morocco's AFCON Knockout Hopes Hinge on Zambia Showdown After Mali Draw

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Morocco's bid for an early knockout spot in the Africa Cup of Nations hit a snag on Friday, as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Mali at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat. The draw snapped Morocco's 19-match winning streak, which had begun with a 2-0 victory over Comoros in the tournament's opening game. The match saw two penalty kicks, with Brahim Diaz giving Morocco the lead from a spot-kick deep in injury time of the first half. However, Lassine Sinayoko equalized for Mali in the 64th minute, converting a penalty after being fouled by Jawad El Yamiq. The stalemate leaves Morocco atop Group A with four points from two games, but they have not yet secured their place in the knockout phase. They will look to cement their spot when they face Zambia on Monday, a team they must beat to ensure a group win. However, as the four best third-placed finishers among the six groups progress, Morocco's chances of advancing remain strong despite struggling against Mali. Morocco captain Achraf Hakimi, the African Player of the Year, sat out the match due to an ongoing ankle injury. Meanwhile, Kylian Mbappé, the Real Madrid forward, was in attendance, watching his former PSG teammate Diaz in action. Diaz, who had a good save denied by Mali's goalkeeper, played a crucial role in the opening goal, forcing a penalty after being fouled by Mali's Nathan Gassama. Mali's Walid Regragui's side, ranked the best team in Africa by FIFA, could not capitalize on their lead as Sinayoko's penalty leveled the score. Morocco's hopes for a victory were dashed when Youssef En-Nesyri was denied by a good save from Diarra, and Mali held on for a point through 10 minutes of stoppage time, leaving Morocco to wait for the outcome of their next match against Zambia.