Defending champions Côte d’Ivoire came from two goals down to beat Gabon 3–2 in a dramatic Group F finale at the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025, claiming top spot in the group. The Elephants now advance to face Burkina Faso in the Round of 16.

Gabon stunned the holders early, taking the lead in the 11th minute through Guélor Kanga, before Denis Bouanga doubled the advantage in the 21st minute with a clinical finish that left Côte d’Ivoire chasing the game. The Panthers’ early dominance had fans on the edge of their seats as the Elephants struggled to find their rhythm.

Côte d’Ivoire fought back before halftime, with Jean‑Philippe Krasso pulling one back in the 44th minute following a clever build-up involving Wilfried Zaha. The Elephants continued to press after the break, and Evann Guessand equalised in the 84th minute with a well-timed assist from a Christopher Opéri cross, setting the stage for a dramatic finish.

The comeback was completed in stoppage time when Bazoumana Touré headed home the winner in the 90+1st minute, sparking jubilant celebrations. The win secures Côte d’Ivoire’s place at the top of Group F. Elsewhere in the group, Cameroon came from behind to beat Mozambique 2-1 and make it to the knockout stage as group runners up. Cameroon face South Africa next, while Mozambique meet Nigeria. Gabon exit the tournament having fought valiantly.

Equatorial Guinea 1–3 Algeria

Goals: Z. Belaid 18’, F. Chaïbi 25’, I. Maza 32’/Emilio Nsue 50’

Algeria underlined their status as one of the standout teams of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 by easing to a 3-1 victory over Equatorial Guinea, completing the group stage with a flawless record.

Even with several changes to the starting line-up, Algeria were dominant from the opening exchanges and effectively settled the contest inside the first half hour, showcasing their depth and attacking efficiency.

The breakthrough arrived in the 18th minute when Hadj Moussa’s inswinging corner was met by Zineddine Belaïd, who powered a header beyond goalkeeper Jesús Owono. Algeria barely allowed their opponents time to regroup and doubled their advantage seven minutes later, Fares Chaïbi finishing confidently after sustained pressure around the penalty area.

Equatorial Guinea struggled to stem the tide as Algeria continued to dictate the tempo. The third goal arrived in the 32nd minute, once again with Hadj Moussa at the heart of the move, supplying Ibrahim Maza to strike decisively and leave Les Fennecs firmly in control by the interval.

After the break, Algeria maintained their composure, continuing to circulate the ball with authority and create openings, though without adding to their tally. Their intensity dipped slightly, offering Equatorial Guinea a rare opening back into the contest.

That moment arrived five minutes into the second half when Emilio Nsue produced a fine strike from the edge of the box, reducing the deficit and briefly injecting belief into the Equatoguinean ranks. However, the response was limited, with Algeria quickly regaining control and managing the remainder of the contest with maturity.

The result sealed top spot in Group E for Algeria, who finished with maximum points and momentum firmly on their side heading into the knockout rounds. For Equatorial Guinea, the defeat confirmed a disappointing tournament, ending the group stage without a point after three matches.

Post Match Reactions:

TotalEnergies Man of the Match: Anis Hadj Moussa – Algeria

“Im very delighted having won this trophy. Without the team, I would not have won this trophy. We had to play a good match and win it ahead of the round of 16. It will be tough knockout stage, so a win is crucial in getting our confidence up ahead of the knockout stages of the competition”

Juan Micha – Equatorial Guinea coach

“The result is not what we had planned for. We came here to win but it was not the case. We really tried to push and change the result. It is a disappointing result, but we need to dust ourselves off and continue looking towards the future. Yes, it’s a loss but I think there were a lot of lessons learnt.

Vladimir Petkovic – Algeria Coach

I think we had one of the best first half performances. Something interesting is the fact that we had seven players born after the 2000s which is good indication of a bright future. It’s a pity we conceded but in the same breath, it was a quality goal that was very difficult to avoid. Otherwise, I am very happy without the group acted and reacted throughout this game and all the group matches. We are looking forward to resting so we can be well prepared for the next match.

Sudan 0-2 Burkina Faso

Burkina Faso bounced back from their defeat to Algeria by producing a controlled 2-0 victory over Sudan to confirm second place in Group E at the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025.

Goals from Lassina Traoré and Arsène Kouassi ensured the Stallions finished the group stage with six points, three behind group winners Algeria, while Sudan progressed despite defeat, their earlier results already enough to secure a Round of 16 berth.

Burkina Faso set the tone early and were rewarded for their positive start. From a corner in the 16th minute, Traoré rose above the Sudanese defence to head firmly past the goalkeeper, giving his side a deserved lead.

Sudan were handed a golden opportunity to respond when they were awarded a penalty after Hervé Koffi was penalised for a foul inside the area. However, Al Gozoli Nooh dragged his effort narrowly wide, a miss that visibly deflated the Falcons of Jediane.

The East Africans continued to search for an equaliser before the break, coming close again in the 35th minute when Yasir Mozamil found space in the box but failed to apply the finishing touch.

The second half opened up into a more open contest, with both sides trading chances. Nooh attempted to atone for his earlier miss but saw his shot comfortably gathered by Koffi, while Burkina Faso threatened on the counter, Georgi Minoungou narrowly missing the target after intercepting a loose pass.

The decisive moment arrived five minutes from time. Arsène Kouassi timed his run into the area perfectly before calmly slotting home from close range, sealing the points and underlining Burkina Faso’s superiority.

The result confirmed Burkina Faso’s progression in second place, while Sudan finished third on three points and now await their Round of 16 fate as one of the qualified teams from Group E.

Arsène Kouassi (Burkina Faso) – TotalEnergies Man of the Match

“I am happy to have been named Man of the Match. It was a difficult game against Sudan, but we managed to achieve our objective. We will try to keep this momentum going into the upcoming matches. I always work hard and I am happy to be taking part in this tournament and to have scored against Sudan.

I have big goals to achieve and I will give even more of myself. I will not stop here; I will continue working to reach the objectives of our national team. We will fight hard in the Round of 16, because we have a goal to achieve.”

Post Match Reactions:

Arsène Kouassi (Burkina Faso) – TotalEnergies Man of the Match

“I am happy to have been named Man of the Match. It was a difficult game against Sudan, but we managed to achieve our objective. We will try to keep this momentum going into the upcoming matches. I always work hard and I am happy to be taking part in this tournament and to have scored against Sudan.

I have big goals to achieve and I will give even more of myself. I will not stop here; I will continue working to reach the objectives of our national team. We will fight hard in the Round of 16, because we have a goal to achieve.”

James Kwesi Appiah – Sudan Head Coach

“It was a difficult match against Burkina Faso and our opponent deserved their victory. As I said before the match, we were going to face a tough team, most of whose players play for big clubs. When you play against such teams, you realize how difficult the task is. The players tried to give their best, but this is football and you can never be certain of anything. I learned many lessons from this match, which will help me prepare for the upcoming games.”

Brama Traoré – Head Coach of Burkina Faso

“We are trying to stand out in the knockout stages. We must continue our work, move forward, and inscribe a golden star on the Burkina Faso national team’s jersey. Our players are determined to make the difference and to achieve good results in this edition of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations.

What matters to us are the results and the fact that we are representing our country. Before the match, we were already more focused on preparing for the Round of 16. We had to rotate the squad for the match against Sudan, and we decided to rest some players ahead of the next round.” (CAFonline)

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