Sports

AFCON: Senegal, Morocco Defeat Cape Verde, Malawi To Qualify For Quarterfinals

Pre tournament favourites and Africa’s deputy champions Senegal qualified for the quarterfinals of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations after defeating nine-man Cape Verde Cape 2-0 at the Stade Omnisports de Bafoussam in a round- of – 16 match on Tuesday evening.

Sadio Mane and Bamba Dieng grabbed second half goals for the Teranga Lions albeit Mane rattled the post barely a minute into the match.

Both teams observed a moment of silence ahead of kickoff in memory of the victims of the Olembe Stadium incident which happened Monday night that claimed the lives of eight people including two children.

In the second round-of-16 match on Tuesday right back Achraf Hakimi scored a stunning free-kick, his second of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon as Morocco came from a goal down to defeat battling Malawi 2-1.

Malawi’s Mango Gabadinho opened the scoring with an excellent 35-yard screamer to give Malawi the lead. The ferocious strike is already adjudged as a contender for goal of the tournament award.

Youssef En-Nseyri had restored parity for the Atlas Lions just before the half time break with a brilliant header before PSG star Hakimi secured the victory. It was Morocco’s first qualification to the quarterfinals stage since 2017.

Izuchukwu Okosi

Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc. In October 2004, Okosi joined Complete Communications Limited, publishers of Complete Sports newspaper and Complete Football magazine as a reporter and later script writer for the Complete Sports studio. He worked there for 13 years until October 2017. Okosi also worked various times as Correspondent, Content creator and Editor at Sports Market International Magazine, Opera News, All Nigeria Soccer Media and Iconic Media Watch. He also undertook freelance writing gigs for some local and international organizations. Okosi is a member of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Association of Movie Producers (AMP), Association of Voiceover Artistes of Nigeria (AVOA), Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) and Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ). He has been part of cast in some Nollywood movies and radio dramas including Blood Money 2, Scores To Settle, Dead End 2, Another Campus Tale and Battle Line. Aside mainstream media and the entertainment industry, he has interests in scouting/unearthing of talents in the sports and creative sectors, exports business and property development.