AFCON2023 Defending champions Ivory Coast were held to a 1–1 draw by Cameroon in a tightly contested Group F encounter at the Africa Cup of Nations in Marrakech on Sunday, leaving both sides tied on four points with identical goal tallies.
Amad Diallo broke the deadlock for the Ivorians early in the second half with a superb strike, but Cameroon responded almost immediately as Junior Tchamadeu’s effort took a deflection and found the net.
Both sides pushed for a winner in an end-to-end finale, with Bryan Mbeumo coming close from a free-kick, but neither could find a decisive second goal.
The result sets up a finely balanced final round of group matches, with both teams well-placed to advance to the knockout stage.
Also, Algeria secured their place in the Round of 16 with a hard-fought 1–0 victory over Burkina Faso in Casablanca. The match’s decisive moment came in the second half when Rayan Aït-Nouri was fouled inside the box, allowing captain Riyad Mahrez to calmly convert the resulting penalty.
Burkina Faso pressed persistently for an equaliser in the closing stages, with Georgi Minoungou going close, but Algeria’s organised defence held firm to claim a second consecutive win.
The result puts Algeria top of Group E with six points, while Burkina Faso and Sudan remain level on three points heading into the final matchday.
In other fixtures, Sudan revived their AFCON campaign with a gritty 1–0 victory over Equatorial Guinea, courtesy of a Saúl Coco own goal. The win ends Sudan’s 10-year wait for a tournament victory and leaves Group E wide open ahead of the final round.
Meanwhile, Mozambique celebrated a historic 3–2 victory over Gabon in Agadir their first AFCON win in nearly four decades. Faizal Bangal and Geny Catamo put the Mambas in control before Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang pulled one back.
Diogo Calila’s strike restored Mozambique’s two-goal cushion, and though Gabon scored late, the southern African side held on for a memorable triumph that keeps their knockout stage hopes alive.
