Overview:
For the Atlas Lions, a draw will be enough given their superior goal difference at this stage but only a win will do for the Leopards.
Sunday fixtures (Group A)
- Kenya vs Zambia – Kasarani 3pm
- DR Congo vs Morocco – Nyayo 3pm
Two-time champions DR Congo and Morocco face off in a make-or-break tie that will decide who joins co-hosts Kenya in the quarter finals from Group A in the TotalEnergies Africa Nations Championship.
Both sides are tied on six points, one behind Kenya who has a superior head-to-head over them coming into the game.
For the Atlas Lions, a draw will be enough given their superior goal difference at this stage but only a win will do for the Leopards.
Tarek Sektioui, the head coach of Morocco is only looking at winning the game.
“This is a very crucial match for us and our ambition is to get into the quarter finals. A win is all we are searching for. Our players have remained very professional, very committed to getting the win against a very tough opponent,” Sektioui said.
“DR Congo have shown their worth as a team and have shown they are not an easy team. It is our ambition to go as far as possible in this competition and winning against the DRC would be great for us.”
His opposite number Otis Ngoma understands what is at stake and only a win will suffice for his charges.
“It is not an easy match. These are two former champions meeting and there is a lot at stake. More so on the day, we have a quarter final ticket to play for,” the DR Congo coach Ngoma said.
“Everyone wants to progress to the next round. We have been improving in each game but again every time we look at what we did not do well and try to improve and also strengthen where we were okay.
“Against Angola in our last match we did very well especially offensively and this is an area we have to be very good at if we are to get a chance in the quarter finals.”
For Kenya who are already qualified for the last eight, finishing in style and topping the group remain the target.
“When everybody said Group of Death, we would probably have had zero points after four games, but we found ourselves sitting on top of the mountain, and now we really want to enjoy that view on top of that mountain,” McCarthy said.
He has repeatedly stressed that the job is not done.
“Tomorrow is a game where we must win… we are not focusing on the qualification because we have already been qualified, and it’s just all about finishing off a really good game plan that we have had so far.”
