Ivory Coast will face Burkina Faso in the last 16, Cameroon will face South Africa and Mozambique will face Nigeria.
Published December 31, 2025
Substitute Bazmana Toure scored in stoppage time as Ivory Coast came from two goals behind to beat Gabon 3-2 in Marrakech and take first place in Group F of the African Cup of Nations.
Cameroon fell behind against Mozambique in Agadir on Wednesday, but Cristian Cofane’s lightning strike earned them a 2-1 victory.
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Defending champions Ivory Coast and Cameroon are tied on seven points, with a goal difference of plus two. The Ivorians finished first with five goals and Cameroon with four.
As a result, the best 16 lineup was completed. Ivory Coast will play Burkina Faso, Cameroon will play South Africa and Mozambique will play Nigeria.
In Marrakech, Gabon rattled the Ivory Coast by building a two-goal lead midway through the first half, but the title holders closed the gap just before half-time and led 2-1 at half-time.
Gerol Kanga scored in the 11th minute for the Gabon Panthers, whose most famous footballer, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, had returned to France to receive treatment for a thigh injury.
The 2015 African Player of the Year scored in a 3-2 defeat against Mozambique three days ago that eliminated Gabon from competing for a place in the 16-team knockout stage.
Ivory Coast fell further behind in the 21st minute when Los Angeles-based Denis Bouanga scored his first goal of the tournament.
Ivorian Jean-Philippe Classo scored in the 44th minute from an assist from Wilfried Zaha. The former Crystal Palace winger missed the triumphant 2024 season and was recalled for the AFCON.
The defending champions replaced captain Franck Kessie and Zaha midway through the second half, but Amad Diallo, who scored in the first two group stage games, remained on the bench.
Manchester United winger Diallo was finally brought on in the 76th minute to replace Oumar Diakiate, who was walking a tightrope after receiving a yellow card.
It was another substitute, Evan Gesand, who scored the equalizer with six minutes remaining. The Aston Villa striker was delayed in joining the squad following the withdrawal of injured Sebastien Haller.
Cameroon legends Roger Milla and Samuel Eto’o were among the crowd in the southern coastal city of Agadir who watched Mozambique take an unexpected lead in the 23rd minute.
Jenny Katamo of Portugal’s leading club Sporting fired a low shot that ricocheted in front of goalkeeper Devis Epathy and went just inside the left post.
The lead lasted for five minutes, but an own goal from Feliciano “Nene” Jaune leveled the score for five-time champions Cameroon.
Facing two unmarked Cameroonian attackers, goalkeeper Ibane Urbal blocked the ball, but the ball spilled onto Franck Magri.
Magri hit the post and Nene tried to clear, but he managed to slot the ball into the Mozambican net.
Ten minutes later, Cameroon had the ball in the net again, but the scorer, 19-year-old German-based Christian Kofane, was ruled offside.
The teenager made up for his disappointment by putting the Indomitable Lions ahead in the 55th minute with a powerful shot from outside the box that hit the underside of the crossbar and went into the net.
