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61 mins: Ezzalzouli, perhaps the standout player so far, dances past his marker to kick-start a Morocco attack …
60 mins: Morocco have a corner – this would be a fine time to get a two-goal cushion. And they go close, Ezzalzouli flicking Hakimi’s near-post delivery just over the bar.
58 mins: Georges-Kevin N’Koudou, once of Tottenham and Burnley, is coming on … and he replaces the earlier substitute, Dina Ebimbe! Oof, that’s a bit harsh.
57 mins: Morocco’s first foray forward in this half, and Brahim scoops the ball forward to El Kaabi. He goes down in a tangle with Kotto, but the referee rightly waves away his appeals.
“Have you noticed that, unlike the rock star, the footballing Bono isn’t drawing criticism for his work in Africa?” Peter Oh there, with a deep cut.
55 mins: Nagida is unable to keep a long diagonal ball in play down by the corner flag. Cameroon are about to make their first unenforced change.
54 mins: It’s a little surprising, given their previous performances, how unadventurous Cameroon have been. Set-pieces and shithousery seem to be their main avenues of attack – you could understand it more if they weren’t already behind.
Wrexham lead Forest 2-0. A ‘Cupset’ of sorts is brewing …
51 mins: Avom involved again, trying but failing to hook the ball back into play. I may be tempting fate, but the Morocco back four has looked very solid so far.
49 mins: An interesting start to the second half, with Morocco sitting deeper and challenging Cameroon to break them down. A yellow card for El Khannouss after his boot catches Avom on the knee.
48 mins: Avom wants a free kick after colliding with Hakimi, but the referee ain’t interested.
47 mins: Baleba looks to carry the ball through midfield, and is clipped by Ezzalzouli.
46 mins: Morocco are able to hoof clear with Avom threatening a shot from the edge of the area.
Second half
Here we go, then. Can Cameroon get back into it? Namaso wins an early free kick, which Nagida will swing in …
In the FA Cup, Forest have had a goal disallowed – it remains Wrexham 0-0 Nottingham Forest.
“The photo of Brahim Diaz at the top reminds me that the cutesy shrug is among my least favourite goal celebrations,” says Peter Oh. “It’s right down there with the thumb sucker and the non-celebration against a former club.”
In fairness to Brahim, there was some confusion over whose goal it was at the time. But broadly, the shrug should be reversed for full backs smashing in 30-yard screamers.
“I know that there’s a lot at stake, especially for the hosts, but there’s so much unpleasantness going on that I’ve just given up watching,” says Charles Antaki. “Thanks for the MBM, which at least puts a cordon sanitaire between us and the kicks and whacks on the field.”
MBMs – we watch the game so you don’t have to.
Half-time reading on the FA Cup’s potential giant killers this weekend …
Half time: Cameroon 0-1 Morocco
It’s been a spiky, scrappy first half in places but all the best moments have come from the hosts, who lead through Brahim Diaz. Cameroon have ruffled their opponents but have yet to really worry them, and will need to change their approach to turn this game around.
49 mins: More needle here as Mazraoui accuses Nouhou of elbowing him as they tussled for the ball. And that’s half time!
48 mins: A free kick just inside the Moroccan half for Cameroon, who haven’t created anything in this half. Mbeumo does well to hold up the ball and find Namaso, whose cross is stabbed away at the near post.
47 mins: Into five minutes of stoppage time, and El Kaabi sweeps a shot wide from Ezzalzouli’s neat through pass.
45 mins: After a long wait, Bryan Mbeumo’s free kick lands at the feet of the first man. Maybe Big Sir Jim was right about trying him as a wing-back.
43 mins: Kofane goes down after taking an elbow to the neck from Aguerd, who should really have been booked. Cameroon will have a free kick once Kofane is patched up by the physio.
42 mins: Morocco look to build up steam again before the break, but Saibari’s long sideways pass is intercepted, and the ball eventually ricochets back to Cameroon keeper Devis Epassy.
40 mins: Another odd moment on the Morocco bench as the coach, Walid Regragui, is seen arguing with one of his substitutes – possibly backup keeper Munir. Everybody take a breath.
39 mins: Nouhou is booked for a rash challenge, and the Cameroon captain will miss the semi-final if they make it through.
37 mins: Ooh! Ezzalzouli cuts inside and curls towards the near post – but can only find the side netting. Half the crowd, perhaps blinded by their phone lights, think it’s gone in at first.
36 mins: Fans pass the time with a light show using their phone torches, before we get back under way …
35 mins: Words are exchanged between the benches, substitutes in their long puffer jackets pointing and jostling. The temperature dial is turned up another notch or two.
34 mins: Ezzalzouli goes down off the ball in the area, apparently clipped by Ebimbe. The referee eventually stops play; could we see a VAR intervention? The contact looked accidental, and there’s no further action taken.
32 mins: Another Morocco attack breaks down when El Kaabi’s backheel outfoxes his own teammates.
