Libya survive late Mauritania scare to secure victory
Published:
The Mediterranean Knights of Libya endured a late scare but ultimately emerged victorious with a 5-4 win over Mauritania in Group B of the TotalEnergies CAF Futsal AFCON Morocco 2024 on Sunday night.
Initially establishing a commanding 4-1 lead, the former tournament champions found themselves under pressure as Mauritania launched a spirited comeback, scoring three late goals.
However, Ricardo Calabuig's side managed to hold on, denying their opponents a chance to snatch a point.
Mauritania broke the deadlock at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Hall after 5 minutes when El Bekay Askeiry squared the ball to Moudery Drame, whose shot found the net via a deflection off Ziyad Azeez's legs.
Libya swiftly responded, restoring parity through Ali Shoshan's close-range finish from Ahmed Abdelaziz's well-timed cutback, capitalizing on Mauritania's defensive lapse.
Mohamed Said then propelled Libya ahead with a stunning volley, beating goalkeeper Mohamed Imam Saff. Shoshan soon bagged his brace, extending Libya's lead to 3-1.
Completing his hat trick with a superb low drive, Shoshan further solidified Libya's position at 4-1, leaving the Mauritanian goalkeeper helpless.
In the second half, Abdallah Selami's charges continued their offensive push, but Mauritania managed to pull a goal back with Dioncounda Sow's screamer from a set piece.
Amidst intense competition marked by robust challenges from both sides, Mohamed Zreeg extended Libya's lead to 5-2, capitalizing on a slick Libyan move.
Despite Libya's advantage, Mauritania rallied late in the game. Captain Abderhemane Bouhoumadi deflected Sow's effort into the net before Yacoub N'diel fired in the fourth goal for the debutants.
Ultimately, the Mediterranean Knights held on to secure their first victory, enhancing their chances of reaching the semifinals.
Mauritania will face group leaders Egypt in their final group match at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Hall on Tuesday, while Libya will take on Namibia simultaneously at the IBN Yassine Hall at 21:00 GMT.
