Mares urged to dig deep after opening stumble :: Mmegi Online

The Mares are walking a tightrope at the 2024 WAFCON finals after falling 1–0 to Algeria in a nervy Group B opener played under the floodlights of the Père Jégo Stadium in Casablanca, Morocco, on Sunday evening.

An early sucker punch just 10 minutes into the game was all Algeria needed to bag maximum points, leaving Botswana on a steeper road to the knockout rounds.

Forward, Ghouthia Karchouni pounced on a cut-back from the right and slipped the ball into the bottom corner past Sedilame Bosija. It was a horror start and it haunted the Mares throughout a lethargic first half in which they failed to register a single attempt at goal. There was a bit more purpose after the break, but not enough to shake the scoreboard. The North Africans, the second lowest-ranked team in the group after Botswana, walked away with three massive points and with Nigeria sweeping Tunisia aside 3–0 in the earlier game, the pressure has officially cranked up for coach Alex Malete and his troops to reach the final eight round.

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