By Our man in Casablanca
PATSON DAKA turned the Stade Mohamed V into a Zambian carnival as his last-gasp header snatched a 1-1 draw against Mali.
The Leicester City man rose highest in the 92nd minute to silence the Casablanca crowd and cancel out Lassine Sinayoko’s opener.
It was a result that felt like a win for the Copper Bullets, but for Mali, it was a horror show in the Moroccan heat.
The legendary Stade Mohamed V—a venue steeped in African football history—provided a thunderous backdrop for this Group A opener. But for long periods, it looked like the famous old ground would be the site of a Malian masterclass rather than a Zambian rescue act.
Mali dominated from the off, and they should have been out of sight before the break. El Bilal Touré had the golden chance to break the deadlock from the penalty spot in the 42nd minute, but his tame effort was smothered by Willard Mwanza.
The Eagles eventually found their wings in the 61st minute. Sinayoko pounced on a loose ball in the box to fire home, sending the travelling Malian fans into raptures.
With the clock ticking down in Casablanca, Mali retreated, inviting pressure from a Zambian side that had struggled to create anything all afternoon.
But in the second minute of stoppage time, Mathews Banda delivered a peach of a cross, and Daka did the rest, ghosting between defenders to thump his header home.
The final whistle sparked wild celebrations from the Zambian bench, while the Malian players slumped to the turf of the Mohamed V, wondering how they let two points slip away in the Moroccan dusk.
