Mozambique win first ever AFCON game, while Algeria reach last 16

Algeria secured their place in the last 16 of the AFCON with a close victory over Burkinabe, while Mozambique have won the tournament’s historic first victory, giving their campaign new life after beating Gabon 3-2 in Agadir.

Mozambique, who were defeated by Ivory Coast in their Group F game on Sunday, scored twice before half-time with the goals from Geny Catamo and Faizal Bangal.

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Before the break, former Chelsea and Arsenal forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang pulled one back for Gabon, but Diogo Calila restored Mozambique’s two-goal cushion. Despite Gabon’s Alex Moucketou-Moussounda pulling one back, it was ultimately enough to earn Mozambique its 17th successive victory in this competition.

In their heavyweight match on Sunday, defending champions Ivory Coast held on for a 1-1 draw after only 5 minutes of a lead over Cameroon.

In the 51st minute, Amad Diallo opened the scoring for the Ivorians, but junior full-back Junior Tchamadeu equalized for Cameroon with a deflection in the 56th minute at Marrakech Stadium.

In Group F, Cameroon and the Ivory Coast are now tied for eighth with eight AFCON titles, followed by Mozambique, who is tied for third.

In order to advance to the knockout stages as one of the best&nbsp, third-placed teams, Gabon must win their final group game.

After beating Burkinabe 1-0 thanks to a Riyad Mahrez penalty, Algeria moved into the last 16.

At the Moulay El Hassan Stadium in Rabat on Sunday, Algeria won a bruising matchup against a determined Burkinabe team after Captain Mahrez converted from the spot midway through the opening period.

When Manchester City’s Rayan Ait-Nouri was fouled over, the penalty that decided the game came down to.

With his 23rd-minute kick, Mahrez was unaffected as he followed up his brace with a 3-3 victory over Sudan to increase his Cup of Nations tally to three goals. The Algerian winger, who played for Manchester City and Leicester City for his sixth AFCON, has now scored nine goals overall, which is an Algerian record.

The Hearts’ striker Pierre Landry Kabore almost had scored with a header from a corner, but Mahrez headed in the opposite direction for Mohamed Amoura, who had saved the shot from the Algerian breakaway in stoppage time.

As Burkinabe tried unsuccessfully to score an equalizer, substitute Georgi Minoungou fired just over after Ibrahim Maza twice failed to convert good chances in the second half for Bayer Leverkusen.

Algeria, the African champions in 1990 and 2019, are the only team with six points after two Group E games and are unconcerned with a goal. Vladimir Petkovic’s side are considered to be one of the pre-tournament favorites.

Burkinabe and Sudan share the lead with three points, but they will face off on Wednesday in the final group game. Even if Algeria loses their final game to Equatorial Guinea, which is currently pointless, they are guaranteed a top-two finish.

After beating Equatorial Guinea 1-0 thanks to a Saul Coco own goal, Sudan increased their chances of making it to the knockout stage of the Africa Cup of Nations on Sunday.

When Luis Asue and Coco, the unlucky Torino defender, attempted to clear a Sudan free kick, the ball ricochets into the net in the 74th minute in Casablanca.