Algeria advance to Afcon last 16, Cameroon hold Ivory Coast
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Algeria attacker Riyad Mahrez scoring the winner from the penalty spot in their 1-0 2025 Africa Cup of Nations triumph over Burkina Faso at the Stade Prince Moulay Al Hassan in Rabat on Dec 28.
PHOTO: AFP
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RABAT – A hard-nosed performance helped Algeria become the third country, after Egypt and Nigeria, to qualify for the knockout stages of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) by edging out Burkina Faso 1-0 in Rabat via a Riyad Mahrez penalty on Dec 28.
Defending champions Ivory Coast failed to join the trio after drawing 1-1 with Cameroon in a lively Marrakesh showdown.
Mozambique ended a 39-year wait for a first Afcon victory by beating Gabon 3-2, while Sudan got back in contention for a last-16 slot by edging out Equatorial Guinea 1-0 in Casablanca.
Captain Mahrez converted from the spot midway through the first half and Algeria then held on to win a bruising contest against a determined Burkinabe outfit.
The penalty that decided the game was awarded when Manchester City’s Rayan Ait-Nouri was bundled over.
Mahrez made no mistake with his 23rd-minute spot kick, as he followed up his brace in the opening 3-0 win over Sudan to take his tally at this Afcon to three goals.
The former Leicester City and Manchester City winger now has nine goals at the tournament, an Algerian record.
Algeria, African champions in 1990 and in 2019, have the maximum six points after two games in Group E and are yet to concede a goal, with Vladimir Petkovic’s side living up to their billing as one of the pre-tournament favourites.
France legend Zinedine Zidane was among the 18,522 spectators to watch his son Luca play in goal for the Desert Foxes.
“We knew before that they would be very tough but we said we would have to fight against it, also be dirty, tackle very hard and we did that well today,” said Man of the Match Ibrahim Maza of Algeria.
Bosnian Petkovic added: “We were slightly better in taking advantage of taking the opportunity we got. I think Burkina Faso will be successful if they continue playing the way they did tonight.”
In Casablanca, Sudan boosted their chances of qualifying from the same group after a Saul Coco own goal gave them victory over Equatorial Guinea in a scrappy affair.
In Group F, Manchester United winger Amad Diallo scored for reigning champions Ivory Coast in a draw with Cameroon that left them sharing top spot.
He struck after 51 minutes for his second Afcon goal, having notched the match winner against Mozambique on Dec 24.
Ivory Coast coach Emerse Fae was quoted by L’Equipe as saying of Diallo: “A complete player. He can score and dribble.
“The advantage with him playing as a wing-back at Manchester is he also developed defensive habits.”
But the lead lasted only five minutes. A shot from Junior Tchamadeu took a deflection off Ghislain Konan to bring five-time champions Cameroon level.
Said Fae: “This is the kind of match we love at the Afcon, a high-level game. Both teams played with intensity, they created chances, neither side shut down the game.
“A draw was a fair result against a compact Cameroon side that caused us problems with their tactics.”
Cameroon boss David Pagou, meanwhile, said his team “stood up to a mature team full of individual talent”, and praised their “flawless defensive solidity”.
Ivory Coast and Cameroon have four points each, one more than Mozambique.
Mozambique ended a long wait for a first Afcon victory by beating Gabon in a thriller in Agadir.
The Mambas began the match having drawn four and lost 12, since making the first of six appearances at the tournament in 1986.
“Today was a historic day. We overcame so many difficulties and obstacles to get here and achieve something no one expected of us,” said Mozambique coach Chiquinho Conde.
“Even our most optimistic fans would not have imagined a victory over Gabon.
“People said Mozambique would never win a match. I had the honour of leading the national team to this victory.”
Goals from Faisal Bangal, Geny Catamo and Diogo Calila won a see-saw struggle for the Mozambicans, who led 2-1 at half-time.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alex Moucketou-Moussounda netted for Gabon, who twice halved two-goal deficits before suffering a second straight loss after previously falling to Cameroon. AFP
