The very tense end of the match between Morocco and the Democratic Republic of Congo will not be without consequences.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) announced, this Tuesday morning, the opening of an investigation into the general scuffle at the final whistle between the two teams, during the second group match of CAN 2024.
CAF explains in a press release that its investigation was opened “against the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) and the Congolese Federation of Football Association (FECOFA) following post-match incidents that occurred during the African Cup of Nations TotalEnergies CAF Côte d'Ivoire 2023 between Morocco and the Democratic Republic of Congo", while adding that it will make "no comment on this subject until the investigation is completed".
Morocco calms things down
At the final whistle, an altercation broke out between the captain of the DRC, Marseillais Chancel Mbemba and the coach of the Atlas Lions during their handshake.
The rest of the players and staff then intervened on the pitch of the Stade Laurent Pokou in San Pedro (Ivory Coast) in confusion.
The two main protagonists then gave their version via media on the start of the dispute, resulting from already heated additional time between the two men.
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— FRMF (@FRMFOFFICIEL) January 22, 2024
This Monday evening, the Moroccan Federation tried to calm things down, again in a press release, recalling the “special and historical relations” between the two countries while deploring “the accusation of any anti-sporting act”.