Match ends, Congo DR 1, Morocco 0.
DR Congo put their difficult Africa Cup of Nations build-up behind them to beat Morocco in their Group C opening fixture, despite finishing with 10 men.
Florent Ibenge's side, who went on strike over unpaid bonuses on Friday, almost trailed early on at Stade d'Oyem when Mbark Boussoufa struck the bar.
Junior Kabananga put them ahead before substitute Lomalisa Mutambala was booked twice in 16 minutes.
Morocco's Youssef El-Arabi missed with two headed chances late on.
The substitute glanced wide from a set-piece delivery and then met a cross cleanly to force a parry from DR Congo keeper Ley Matampi.
The Leopards were down to nine men for several minutes in the closing stages when they lost defender Gabriel Zakuani to injury having made all of their substitutions.
The Northampton Town player returned for six minutes of injury time, as Ibenge's side saw out pressure to ensure Kabananga's guided finish from 10 yards put them top of their group.
Morocco - managed by two-time Cup of Nations winner Herve Renard - are bottom of the group after the first round of fixtures, as defending champions Ivory Coast and Togo drew 0-0 earlier in the day.
Renard, who guided Zambia to the title in 2012 and Ivory Coast in 2015, has been told by the country's FA that reaching the quarter-finals is a minimum requirement.
But despite managing 62% of possession and 15 shots against a side eight places above them in Fifa's rankings, they were unable to turn their numerical advantage into a positive start.
Line-ups
DR Congo
Formation 4-3-3
- 1Matampi
- 2Issama Mpeko
- 14Zakuani
- 5Tisserand
- 3N'SakalaBooked at 48minsSubstituted forLomalisa Mutambalaat 65'minutesBooked at 81mins
- 15Mulumba
- 18Bokadi
- 22Mbemba
- 6KabanangaSubstituted forMaghomaat 71'minutes
- 17BakambuSubstituted forMbokaniat 77'minutes
- 21Mubele
Substitutes
- 4Ikoko
- 7Mulumbu
- 8M'Poku
- 9Mbokani
- 10Kebano
- 11Botaka
- 12Bolingi
- 13Lomalisa Mutambala
- 16Kudimbana
- 19Bokila
- 20Maghoma
- 23Kiassumbua
Morocco
Formation 5-3-2
- 12Mohan Mohamedi
- 17Dirar
- 5Benatia
- 4da CostaBooked at 68mins
- 6SaissSubstituted forFajrat 73'minutes
- 2Mendyl
- 8El Ahmadi
- 14Boussoufa
- 16El KaddouriSubstituted forEn-Nesyriat 61'minutes
- 21Carcela-GonzálezSubstituted forEl-Arabiat 78'minutes
- 20Bouhaddouz
Substitutes
- 1Bono
- 3Chafik
- 7En-Nesyri
- 9El-Arabi
- 10Rherras
- 11Fajr
- 13Boutaib
- 15Ait Bennasser
- 18Atouchi
- 19Obbadi
- 22El Kharroubi
- 23Alioui
- Referee:
- Hamada Nampiandraza
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home39%
- Away61%
- Shots
- Home4
- Away15
- Shots on Target
- Home2
- Away2
- Corners
- Home1
- Away9
- Fouls
- Home26
- Away17
Live Text
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Full Time
Second Half ends, Congo DR 1, Morocco 0.
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Attempt missed. Karim El Ahmadi (Morocco) right footed shot from the left side of the box misses to the right following a corner.
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Corner, Morocco. Conceded by Merveille Bope Bokadi.
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Corner, Morocco. Conceded by Marcel Tisserand.
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Offside, Congo DR. Firmin Ndombe Mubele tries a through ball, but Dieumerci Mbokani is caught offside.
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Foul by Nabil Dirar (Morocco).
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Dieumerci Mbokani (Congo DR) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Foul by Mbark Boussoufa (Morocco).
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Jacques Maghoma (Congo DR) wins a free kick on the right wing.
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Manuel da Costa (Morocco) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Dieumerci Mbokani (Congo DR).
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Karim El Ahmadi (Morocco) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Firmin Ndombe Mubele (Congo DR).
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Offside, Morocco. Hamza Mendyl tries a through ball, but Mbark Boussoufa is caught offside.
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Corner, Morocco. Conceded by Issama Mpeko.
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Attempt saved. Youssef El-Arabi (Morocco) header from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Mbark Boussoufa.
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Manuel da Costa (Morocco) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Dieumerci Mbokani (Congo DR).
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Foul by Medhi Benatia (Morocco).