Africa Cup of Nations Day 2
Namibia 1 Morocco 5, Nigeria 0 Ivory Coast 1, Mali 1 Benin 0
The Chelsea forward slalomed through four Nigerian defenders before beating goalkeeper Austin Ejide to give the Ivorians a crucial 1-0 win in their first match.
The game in Sekondi was largely even, but les Elephants had more composure and creativity in attack, with Nigerian captain Nwankwo Kanu proving particularly ineffectual.
Chelsea star Didier Drogba also looked subdued and clearly not yet back to full match fitness after missing a month of action through injury. The quality from both sides instead came down the left flank, with Ivory Coast's Kalou and left-back Arthur Boka proving dangerous.
Nigeria's Marseille wing-back Taye Taiwo matched them, with a first-half free-kick striking Boubacar Barry's crossbar. The result heaps pressure on Nigerian coach Berti Vogts, with the critical home media already sharpening the knives should better results not be forthcoming in their next two matches.
Ivory Coast share top spot in Group B with Mali, for whom Sevilla striker Frédi Kanouté converted a penalty early in the second half to secure an unconvincing win over underdogs Benin.
Alain Gaspoz brought down Lokomotiv Moscow forward Dramane Traoré and South African referee Damon Jerome awarded the spot kick.
Benin might have taken an early lead when Seidath Tchomogo headed over the crossbar after a quarter of an hour and might feel aggrieved at not coming away from the match with a point. Mali, though, might have made the result more convincing with Mamady Sidibé and Mahamadou Diarra spurring chances in the last 15 minutes.
The match was delayed by 15 minutes after the Sekondi stadium's floodlights briefly failed before kick-off.
In the day's first match, Morocco went top of Group A on goal difference with a 5-1 demolition of unfancied Namibia in Accra, although the Southern African minnows scored a fine goal in the process.
In front of a pathetically small crowd of around 2,000 in the Ghanaian capital, Morocco's attacking midfielder Soufiane Alloudi was the unlikely hero, scoring a hat-trick in the first half hour; the first after just under a minute poking the ball home after Chamakh had hit the post before resourcefully feeding the goalscorer at close range.
The second was a fine goal, lifting the ball over Namibia keeper Abisia Shiningayamwe after a clever one-two on the edge of the penalty area. Brian Brendell got Namibia back in the match with a clinical left-foot drive after Collin Benjamin found him with a fine through ball.
The hope was short lived for the trailing side, however, as Alloudi quickly nodded home a left-wing cross from Porto's dangerous left winger Tarik Sektioui, who added number four himself from the penalty spot in the 40th minute after the hard-running right back Mickaël Chrétien was tripped by Jamunavandu Ngatjizeko.
Substitute forward Moncef Zerka headed home from a corner in the second half to add gloss to a convicing win for the 2004 runners-up from North Africa. Morocco couldn't find a sixth goal which would have equalled the tournament's biggest ever winning margin but will be delighted to find themselves top of Group A.
Results
NAMIBIA 1 (Brendell 24') MOROCCO 5 (Alloudi 1', 5', 28', Sektioui pen 40', Zerka 74')
NIGERIA 0 IVORY COAST 1 (Kalou 66')
MALI 1 (Kanouté pen 49') BENIN 0
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