Morocco coach admits to AFCON blunders after DR Congo draw

KORHOGO, Ivory Coast: Morocco coach Walid Regragui said he blundered as his team drew 1-1 in an Africa Cup of Nations Group F draw against the Democratic Republic of Congo on Sunday. Achraf Hakimi gave the Atlas Lions a perfect start as his sixth-minute volley flew into the net in the southwestern coastal city of San-Pedro.

Tanzania and 10-man Zambia later drew 1-1, leaving all four with a chance of making the knockout stage. "After making changes to introduce freshness, we did not manage the match well. We retreated and allowed the Congolese back into the game.

"We left too much space between our lines. Tactically we should have been better. Perhaps we respected our opponents too much. "DR Congo are the most difficult team in the group. They were motivated and dangerous and deserved to draw," said Regragui, who played for Morocco in a 2004 final loss to Tunisia.

Silas, who plays for Bundesliga outfit Stuttgart and prefers to be known by his first name, was voted man of the match, despite only coming on with 26 minutes left. He said he was "happy with the award but not the result".