Algeria defeat Burkina Faso to ability the knockout stages Sudan dedicated a basic win over Equatorial Guinea Mozambique bend Gabon 3–2, claiming their first-ever AFCON win Cameroon and Côte d’Ivoire comedy to agitative draw in Marrakech
Cameroon and arresting champions Côte d’Ivoire aggregate the boodle in a pulsating 1–1 draw in their additional Accumulation F accoutrement at the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), Morocco 2025. At the end of 90 minutes, neither ancillary could acquisition a absolute bend in a arresting appointment in Marrakesh.
Junior Tchamadeu’s deflected accomplishment amid through the additional bisected annulled out a moment of accuracy from Amad Diallo, whose beauteous opener had put the Ivorians advanced in a claiming affluent in quality, acuteness and goal-mouth action.
The aperture exchanges were bound and tactical, with both abandon assuming caution. Cameroon came abutting to breaking the deadlock afterwards 20 account aback Christian Kofane rose accomplished to accommodated a cantankerous from the left, alone to see his advance blast adjoin the crossbar.
Côte d’Ivoire believed they had gone into the breach infront aback captain Franck Kessié volleyed home from abutting range, but celebrations were cut abbreviate as the appetite was disqualified out for offside adjoin Vakoun Issouf Bayo’s abetment in the build-up.
The bout access into activity afterwards the restart. End-to-end football authentic the aperture account of the additional half, afore Diallo produced a moment of abracadabra to accessible the scoring.
The Manchester United advanced calm the brawl on the right, cut central assimilate his favoured larboard basal and coiled a abstract accomplishment above the ample dive of goalkeeper Devis Epassy.
Cameroon responded swiftly. Aloof bristles account later, Tchamadeu addled from central the box, his accomplishment demography a abandoned angle off Ghislain Konan to wrong-foot the goalkeeper and restore adequation for the Indomitable Lions.
With the array level, both teams pushed in chase of a winner. Bryan Mbeumo was able-bodied marshalled by the Ivorian defence, his abutting advance advancing from a free-kick that almost absent the appetite from the bend of the area.
Despite backward burden at both ends, neither ancillary could force a breakthrough.
The draw leaves both Cameroon and Côte d’Ivoire akin on four points, with identical goals denticulate and conceded.
Attention now turns to the final annular of absolute accumulation matches on New Year’s Eve, with Cameroon travelling aback to Agadir to face Mozambique, while the arresting champions abide in Marrakesh to booty on already alone Gabon.
Algeria 1–0 Burkina Faso
Goal: Riyad Mahrez 23’ (pen)
Captain Riyad Mahrez denticulate the abandoned goal, a priceless bang from the amends atom that anchored three credibility for Algeria and accepted their accomplishment to the Annular of 16 at the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), Morocco 2025.
The Algerians firmed up their abode top of Accumulation E as they confused to six credibility afterwards back-to-back wins. Burkina Faso abide additional with three points, akin with Sudan who beforehand on exhausted Equatorial Guinea 1-0.
It was a boxy and physically ambitious duel, and the bounce amount Algeria an aboriginal change, Juan Hadjam, affected off afflicted and replaced by striker Baghdad Bounedjah afterwards aloof 13 minutes, afterward a abundant claiming from Gustavo Sangaré.
The animality of the bold ultimately amount Burkina Faso afterwards Rayan Aït-Nouri was befuddled central the box by Ismahila Ouedraogo in the 23 rd minute, the adjudicator pointing to the spot. Skipper Mahrez stepped up and fabricated no aberration with a calm about-face to accord Les Fennecs an aboriginal lead.
Algeria could acquire concluded the bisected with a two-goal cushion, but Mohamed Amoura saw his attempt from abutting ambit off a Mahrez abetment adored by the keeper.
In the additional half, Vladimir Petković’s men maintained the aforementioned rhythm, creating several chances, but were clumsy to catechumen them. Ibrahim Maza and Aït-Nouri both had bright opportunities to score, but were baffled by the Burkinabe babysitter Kouakou Koffi.
Burkina Faso additionally had affairs of their own, the abutting actuality a curler from the bright acting Georgi Minoungou. The accomplishment went inches over the bar. Despite added efforts to action for an equalizer, Algeria dedicated with discipline.
Algeria will now booty on already alone Equatorial Guinea in their final accumulation match, while Burkina Faso will action with Sudan in a high-billed affray that will actuate who gets the additional automated admission to the knockout phase.
The two matches will be played on new Year’s eve.
Reactions
MOM – Ibrahim Maza (Algeria)
“Today was because of the team. I anticipate anybody did able-bodied and the best important affair was to win the game. The appetite was for us to authorize and not absolutely alone awards. We are now clearly able and blessed with the assignment we put in”
“We knew it would be boxy because they are boxy in the duels, but we additionally bare to be able in duels and I anticipate we did absolutely able-bodied in analogous them”
Brama Traore – Burkina Faso Coach
“We capital to win this match. Laying adjoin Algeria will consistently be difficult but we absolutely gave it our all. Our appropriate access was based on all the assay we had made. We had to abutting them off because we apperceive how acceptable they are but I anticipate our action was not bad at all. They were awarded a amends which absolutely afflicted the appearance of the bold but be that as it may, we absolutely gave them a acceptable run.
Vladimir Petkovic – Algeria Drillmaster “As a first, it has been a absolutely adamantine bout with two able teams who fought for 90 account for aggregate on the pitch. We were hardly bigger in demography advantage of demography the befalling we got. I anticipate Burkina Faso will be acknowledged if they abide arena the way they did tonight. Congratulations to my team. Despite accepting lacked a bit of in the closing matches, we connected alive adamantine and anchored the accomplishment and qualification.
Equatorial Guinea 0-1 Sudan
Saúl Basilio Coco-Bassey Oubiña 74′ (OG)
Sudan acquire anchored a 1-0 accomplishment over Equatorial Guinea in a freezing 14° black in Casablanca to draft accumulation E advanced accessible in the TotalEnergies AFCON.
The bout remained on a bend until the 74th minute, aback a moment of authentic anarchy in the Equatorial Guinea box afflicted everything.
A acerbic Sudanese cantankerous affected center-back Saul Coco into a atrocious clearance, alone for the brawl to fly into the aback of his own net. That distinct appetite was abundant to atom agrarian celebrations and duke Sudan their aboriginal affray win in over a decade.
Following a abundant defeat in their aperture match, Sudan knew they were arena for survival. Under acute burden from a abstruse Equatorial Guinea side, the Sudanese backline banned to buckle. Goalkeeper Monged Abuzaid stood like a wall, orchestrating a aegis that captivated beachcomber afterwards beachcomber of advance afore arresting on the counter.
This aftereffect assault Accumulation E advanced open. Sudan has clearly confused akin on credibility with the accumulation leaders, axis their final bout into a “win-and-you’re-in” scenario.
For the players, this wasn’t aloof about three points. With Sudan adverse immense challenges at home, the aggregation has become a attribute of defiance. This victory—their aboriginal at the AFCON finals aback 2012—offers a attenuate moment of pride and joy for millions of admirers watching from afar.
Sudan now active into their final accumulation affray adjoin Burkina Faso on New Year’s Eve with aggregate to comedy for. If they can carbon this arresting masterclass, a abode in the Annular of 16 is aural their grasp.
Reactions
Mohamed Mamoun Eisa (Sudan) – TotalEnergies Man of the Match
“It’s a actual acceptable affair that we best up all three credibility adjoin Equatorial Guinea. We feel abundant afterwards this win and we are attractive to accomplish the best accessible after-effects in future. Our players fought for the abounding 90 account to dedicated the victory.”
Juan Micha – Head drillmaster of Equatorial Guinea
“We played to win adjoin Sudan and it was a difficult match. We created affairs to account but did not booty them. In the end, we acquire what happened and congratulate the Sudanese team, who played able-bodied and won. I do not await on the admirers to adjudge our line-up; I accept it according to my own options. Our aggregation played bigger than the adversary in the aboriginal half. In the additional half, we attacked, and sometimes you actualize affairs but do not score, again you concede. That is what happened, and it is normal.”
James Kwesi Appiah – Head drillmaster of Sudan
“I am blessed with the win, but our appetite is to win the title, not aloof to accomplish a distinct victory. We acquire accomplished players and their accomplishment was strong. We faced some difficulties, but we consistently try to appearance acceptable affection in our matches to accomplish victories. I acknowledge anybody who accurate us in this match, abnormally the fans. Aback you booty allotment in any tournament, the capital appetite is to get through the accumulation date and go as far as possible. We accomplished what mattered most, and we are alert of these objectives of extensive the extreme date possible. We are not actuality to aloof participate.”
Gabon 2-3 Mozambique
Goalscorers: P. E. Aubameyang 45 5, A. Moussounda 76e / F. Bangal 32e, G.Catama 42e (P), D. Callila
The Mambas, who had ahead gone 16 matches afterwards a win on the continental stage, assuredly bankrupt their aridity in a analytic affectation at the Stade Adrar.
The bout access into activity backward in the aboriginal bisected aback Faizal Bangal opened the scoring in the 37th minute, branch home a superb cantankerous from Geny Catamo. Aloof bristles account later, Mozambique angled their advance afterwards Dominguês was befuddled in the amends breadth by Bruno Ecuele Manga.
Catamo stepped up to calmly catechumen the penalty, sending the brawl into the basal larboard corner.
Gabon managed to acquisition a buoy abysmal into first-half abeyance time through Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.The adept striker pounced on a backlash afterwards Didier Ndong’s antecedent accomplishment was parried, cementing his cachet as one of the oldest goalscorers in the history of the AFCON finals.
The drive confused aback to Mozambique anon afterwards the break. In the 52nd minute, Diogo Calila rose accomplished in the centermost of the box to accommodated a cantankerous from Witi, powering a advance into the roof of the net to restore the two-goal cushion.
Gabon responded with a alternation of appropriate changes, introducing Alex Moucketou-Moussounda and Royce Openda to bolster their attack.
The burden from the Panthers eventually paid off in the 86th minute aback Moucketou-Moussounda denticulate from abutting ambit afterward a corner, ambience up a agitated finale.
Despite backward attempts from Mario Lemina and Jacques Ekomié, Mozambique goalkeeper Ernan Siluane remained resolute, bearing several acute saves to assure the lead. The final blare accepted a battleground accomplishment for Mozambique, catastrophe about four decades of cat-and-mouse for a win at the Africa Cup of Nations.
Post-match acknowledgment Geny Catamo – TotalEnergies Men of the Bout – Mozambique: “I am actual appreciative to represent Mozambique and to acquire fabricated my addition to Mozambique’s first-ever accomplishment at the Africa Cup of Nations. We are appreciative of this win.
I achievement this accomplishment will account us to accumulate alive and accompany added wins to our country. I ask the bodies to abide acknowledging us. We can go far, and our mindset is to accumulate blame on in this tournament.”