BY OUR MAN IN MARRAKECH
THE Grand Stade de Marrakech is known for its sweeping terracotta walls and its proximity to the Atlas Mountains, but last night it was a boiling cauldron of African football at its most brutal and beautiful.
In a setting more accustomed to luxury tourists and high-stakes diplomacy, Ivory Coast and Cameroon turned the “Red City” into a battlefield, playing out a pulsating 1-1 draw that left 45,000 fans breathless under the Moroccan floodlights.
From the moment the gates opened at the Stade de Marrakech, the atmosphere was electric. This wasn’t just a group stage match; it was a heavyweight clash of civilizations.
The sold-out arena throbbed with the rhythmic beating of Ivorian drums and the brassy fanfares of the Cameroon “Indomitable Lions” faithful, turning the architectural marvel into a theatre of noise.
Amad’s Moment of Magic
After a cagey first half where the woodwork was rattled at both ends, the deadlock was broken by a moment of pure Manchester United-infused quality.
In the 51st minute, Amad Diallo—the boy wonder who is fast becoming the poster boy of this tournament—latched onto a precise ball from Ghislain Konan. Cutting inside with the grace of a Marrakech street performer, he unleashed a curling left-footed strike that bypassed Devis Epassy and nestled into the top corner.
The Ivorian section of the stadium erupted, a sea of orange celebrating what looked like a statement victory for the defending champions.
But the Indomitable Lions aren’t called that for nothing. Just five minutes later, the stadium’s energy shifted on a dime.
Cameroon’s Junior Tchamadeu drove a speculative, powerful effort from the right flank.
It took a wicked, cruel deflection off the unfortunate Konan, looping high over the stranded Yahia Fofana and dropping into the net. It was a “freak” goal that felt like a punch to the gut for the Elephants, but it was exactly what Cameroon’s relentless pressure deserved.
The final half-hour was a blur of heavy tackles and near-misses. The Stade de Marrakech pitch, slick and fast, became a stage for desperate defending.
Franck Kessie thought he had snatched a winner, only for the linesman’s flag to silence the orange-clad half of the ground.
At the final whistle, both sets of players collapsed onto the turf.
A point apiece keeps both giants firmly on track for the knockouts with four points each, but the real winner was the venue itself.
Marrakech expected a spectacle, and in this 1-1 draw, African football delivered a masterclass in drama.
