Morocco coach tips Rwanda, DR Congo to win CHAN

After his team’s early elimination from the 2016 Africa Nations Championships, Morocco head coach Mohamed Fakhir has tipped Rwanda or DR Congo to win the tournament on February 7. Both teams face off in the first quarter-final match on Saturday. Morocco beat Rwanda 4-1 in the final group A match on Sunday, but the win wasn’t enough for Fakhir’s side to proceed to the quarter-finals after Ivory Coast secured the second position after humiliating Gabon 4-1 at Huye Stadium. “I have been following the teams in this tournament, but Rwanda and DR Congo are better placed to win the title. They have shown their capacity in past matches, and I believe if they continue the way they are both playing, they will cause problems for many teams,” he said during a post-match press conference. Fakhir added that Rwanda has so far been the best team in the tourney, “Individually they are strong and organized.” This is the first time that Rwanda has reached the quarter-finals of a major competition—in 2011 in Sudan, Amavubi lost all their group matches. DR Congo won the first edition which was held in Ivory Coast, and Florent Ibenga’s team is looking to make history in Rwanda. “DR Congo is also a favourite team to win the title because they know the competition very well, and they have been doing well so far,” Fakhir added. CHAN 2016 Top Scorers Ahmed Akaichi Tunisia 4Elvis Chisom Chikatara Nigeria 4Ernest Sugira Rwanda 2Abdelghani Mouaoui Morocco 2Mechak Elia DR Congo 2Yazid Emane Atouba Cameroon 2 editorial@newtimes.co.rw

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Morocco coach tips Rwanda, DR Congo to win CHAN