RABAT, Morocco (AP) — Defending champion Ivory Coast and five-time winner Cameroon drew 1-1 after a mighty tussle at the Africa Cup of Nations on Sunday, while Algeria reached the last 16 with prominent fan Zinedine Zidane again watching on.
Cameroon forward Bryan Mbeumo might have won the late game with the last kick, only to be thwarted by Ivorian defender Odilon Kossounou, who threw himself in front of the ball and received its full force between his legs.
Neither team backed down. Cameroon’s performance showed the team is united under new coach David Pagou, after predecessor Marc Brys was fired weeks before the tournament as federation president Samuel Eto’o brought their public dispute to a conclusion, with a list of grievances against the Belgian coach.
The Cameroon players danced their way into the stadium in Marrakech, where TV cameras showed Barcelona defender Jules Koundé and Real Madrid midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni – both French internationals – sitting side by side to watch the game, with France superstar Kylian Mbappé also in attendance.
They had to wait till the 51st minute for Amad Diallo to break the deadlock with his second goal in two games for Ivory Coast, a sweet strike curled inside the post.
Cameroon replied five minutes later when Junior Tchamadeu’s shot took a deflection from Ivorian defender Ghislain Konan to loop over the goalkeeper. It was deemed an own goal from the left back.
Both teams, on four points in Group F, can be confident of reaching the last 16. The top two in each group and the four best third-place teams progress.
There were some moments of silence before the game for former Ivory Coast coach Jean-Louis Gasset, who died last week.
Earlier, Mozambique boosted its hopes of progression with a 3-2 win over Gabon, which has been eliminated after two losses.
Fennec Foxes go through
Zidane watched again and Riyad Mahrez scored again as Algeria reached the last 16 with a 1-0 win over Burkina Faso.
The 34-year-old Mahrez took his tally to three goals in two games with a penalty in the 23rd minute. The ball went one way, the goalkeeper the other, and it was enough for the Fennec Foxes to advance to the knockout stage with a maximum six points in Group E.
It came as a relief for the many Algeria fans who had made the relatively short trip to the Moulay El Hassan Stadium in Rabat. The team went out after the group stage in both subsequent editions after winning the 2019 title in Egypt.
“The goal was for us to qualify and not really individual awards,” said Algeria youngster Ibrahim Maza, 20, who praised his colleagues’ teamwork.
Zidane’s son Luca did not have much to do in the Algeria goal until he was tested by Lassina Traoré in the 83rd.
Cyriaque Irié might have equalized in stoppage time but his header went straight to the Algeria goalkeeper, who has been given a chance to shine for the country of his grandfather because of a knee injury to Alexandre Oukidja, who would likely have started.
There was a cheer when the big screens showed the senior Zidane, the France great, watching while well wrapped up against the cold. He was also present for Algeria’s opening win over Sudan.
Burkina Faso stayed second in the group on three points, after its opening win over Equatorial Guinea.
Earlier, Sudan – which is playing despite a brutal war at home – revived its chances of progression with a 1-0 win over Equatorial Guinea in Casablanca.
“Our ambition is to win the title, not just to achieve a single victory,” Sudan coach James Kwesi Appiah said.
Sudan faces Burkina Faso in their final group game on Wednesday with a place in the last 16 at stake. Equatorial Guinea, with two defeats, was eliminated.
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AP at the Africa Cup: https://apnews.com/hub/africa-cup-of-nations