Salomon Kalou’s winner started Côte d’Ivoire’s Africa Cup of Nations campaign encouragingly on Monday, giving them a 1-0 win over Nigeria, while Morocco and Mali also won their opening games.
Morocco scored twice in the opening five minutes en route to a 5-1 rout of Namibia in Group A, with Soufiane Alloudi accounting for three goals in the first half.
Sevilla striker Freddie Kanoute converted a penalty early in the second half of Mali’s 1-0 win over Benin, leaving them and Côte d’Ivoire tied atop Group B.
Benin defender Alain Gaspoz fouled Dramane Traore, and Kanoute calmly sent goalkeeper Rachad Chitou the wrong way.
Mali meet Nigeria on Friday, with Côte d’Ivoire facing Benin the same day.
In the 66th minute of a tense match in Sekondi, Kalou beat three Nigerian defenders before sending a low shot from close range past goalkeeper Austin Ejide.
The match was a repeat of the 2006 semifinals, which Côte d’Ivoire won on Didier Drogba’s lone second-half goal.
Obafemi Martins started for two-time African Cup champions Nigeria in an all-English Premier League strike force with Nwankwo Kanu, Aiyegbini Yakubu and John Utaka.
Led by Arsenal defender Kolo Toure, Côte d’Ivoire turned aside all challenges.
Drogba led the Ivorian front line alongside Chelsea teammate Kalou, but they struggled against the Super Eagles defence and Everton’s Joseph Yobo until Kalou’s winner.
Kanu put Nigeria’s chance first wide from 20m and defender Taye Taiwo hit the crossbar with a free kick in the 15th minute.
Newcastle striker Martins had an equalising opportunity from close range for Nigeria in the 74th minute but was thwarted by goalkeeper Boubacar Barry.
Back in Accra, the Atlas Lions delighted the handful of Moroccan fans by taking a 4-0 lead by half-time.
Besides Alloudi’s three, Tarik Sektioui converted a 39th-minute penalty after Michael Basser was fouled, and substitute Monsef Zerka completed the scoring by heading in a corner in the 73rd minute.
Brian Brendell accounted for Namibia’s only goal in the 23rd minute.
Morocco climbed ahead of hosts Ghana atop of Group A on goal difference, and can qualify for the quarterfinals with a victory over Guinea on Thursday.
”It is up to us to use our qualities. It is up to them [Guinea] to adapt their game to ours,” Morocco striker Marouane Chamakh said.
”Qualification could be decided [on Thursday]. We know we will go through if we win.”
Alloudi was removed from the field on a stretcher after a taking a hard foul and is doubtful for Thursday.
”As soon as the match finished, I asked how he was. I asked for some news from the doctor,” Chamakh said. ”Soufiane is a very good player.
”But we are a strong group and there are others who can replace him.”
Namibia coach Arie Schans was shocked by his team’s performance.
”I am very disappointed with the way we played in the first five minutes,” Schans said. ”At half-time, I told my players we behaved like school kids against professional players.”
Ghana opened the 26th edition of the African Cup with a 2-1 home win over Guinea on Sunday.
On Tuesday, Cameroon face Egypt and Sudan take on Zambia in Group C. Both matches are in Kumasi. — Sapa-AP