AFCON 2025 Match Day 4: Four wins recorded
24 Counties
35th Edition
Host – Morocco
Defending Champons – Corte D’Voire
Participating Coutries in groups
Group A – Morocco Hosting, Mali, Zambia, Comores
Group B – Egypt, South Africa, Angola, Zimbabwe
Group C – Nigeria, Tunisia, Uganda, Tanzania
Group D – Senegal, D R Congo, Benin, Botswana
Group E – Algeria, Borkinafaso, Equeatorial Guinea, Sudan
Group F – Corte D’Voire Champions, Camroun, Gabon, Mozambique
Four wins were recorded in the Match Day 4 of the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco on Wednesday.
The wins were recorded by the national football teams of Cameroon, Burkina Faso, Algeria, and cup holders Cote d’Ivoire.
Cameroun 1 – Gabon 0
Cameroon began their TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations campaign with a moment of history as Karl Etta Eyong’s early goal secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Gabon in Agadir, their first ever AFCON win against their Central African neighbours.
The forward kept his nerve, guiding a low finish between goalkeeper Marius Mbamba’s legs to set the tone for the night.
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Cameroon remained the sharper side in the opening exchanges, with Gabon struggling to settle.
Denis Bouanga flashed a shot narrowly wide as the Panthers tried to respond, while Danny Namaso went close at the other end with a header that drifted past the post.
Sensing danger, Gabon coach Thierry Mouyouma turned to his bench before the break, introducing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Mario Lemina.
Cameroon adjusted intelligently, dropping into a more compact shape and nearly doubled their lead when Darlin Yongwa’s run was halted by a last-ditch tackle.
The second half tested Cameroon’s resolve.
Carlos Baleba was forced off injured, but chances continued to fall their way, with Baptiste Tchamadeu blazing over before Mbamba denied Mbeumo with a fine save.
Gabon pressed late, but Cameroon’s defence stood firm.
Devis Epassy made a vital stop from Omva Oyono, while Frank Magri rattled the crossbar on the counter.
Calm game management saw Cameroon close out a disciplined victory that places them alongside Côte d’Ivoire at the top of Group F.
Côte d’Ivoire 1-0 Mozambique
Defending champions Cote d’Ivoire began their TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations title defence with a measured 1-0 victory over Mozambique at the Marrakech Stadium on Wednesday night.
In a game defined by patience rather than flair, the Elephants had to wait until shortly after the interval to find the breakthrough, with Amad Diallo delivering the decisive moment in Group F.
The Ivorians dominated possession from the outset, probing mainly down the flanks as Franck Kessié and Wilfried Zaha looked to impose themselves.
Clear chances were limited, however, with Kessié’s first-half header saved and Ghislain Konan firing narrowly wide.
Mozambique, compact and organised, absorbed the pressure well and threatened sporadically on the counter through Geny Catamo.
The deadlock was finally broken four minutes into the second half.
Kessié rose to meet a delivery and headed the ball into the path of Diallo, who showed composure to steer a low finish past the goalkeeper and into the net.
The goal settled Cote d’Ivoire, who controlled the remainder of the match without extending their lead.
Vakoun Bayo went close, while Mozambique struggled to fashion a clear opening in reply, rarely testing Yahia Fofana in the Ivorian goal.
The narrow win places Cote d’Ivoire at the top of Group F after the opening round.
Mozambique departed, encouraged by their resistance, but still searching for a first-ever victory at the finals.
Algeria 3-0 Sudan
Algeria made a confident start to their TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 campaign with a commanding 3-0 victory over Sudan on Wednesday evening at the Moulay Hassan Stadium in Rabat, in their opening Group E fixture.
The Fennecs, champions in 2019, secured their first AFCON finals win since that memorable triumph in Cairo thanks to a brace from captain Riyad Mahrez and a late goal from substitute Ibrahim Maza, underlining their renewed ambition on the continental stage.
Algeria wasted no time in asserting their authority, opening the scoring after just two minutes when Mahrez finished calmly following a well-weighted pass from Hicham Boudaoui, catching Sudan off guard in the early exchanges.
Sudan’s task became even more difficult shortly before the break when Salah El-Din Adel was sent off in the 39th minute after receiving a second yellow card, allowing Algeria to head into half-time with a 1-0 advantage and full control of the contest.
After the restart, Vladimir Petkovic’s side increased the tempo and doubled their lead in the 61st minute through Mahrez once again, this time finishing off a brilliant assist from Mohamed Amine Amoura, before Ibrahim Maza completed the victory in the 85th minute following a pass from Baghdad Bounedjah.
The result sees Algeria top Group E with three points, level with Burkina Faso, while Sudan and Equatorial Guinea remain without points after the opening round.
Burkina Faso 2-1 Equatorial Guinea
Burkina Faso produced one of the most dramatic moments of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 so far, scoring twice deep into stoppage time to stun Equatorial Guinea 2-1 at the Mohammed V Stadium in Casablanca on Wednesday.
In a Group E contest that swung wildly in the closing minutes, the Stallions looked set for frustration after conceding late against ten-man opponents, only to respond with remarkable composure and belief to turn the match on its head in the dying seconds.
The result sends Burkina Faso to the top of the group with three points, while Equatorial Guinea remain bottom ahead of the later clash between Algeria and Sudan.
The first half was evenly balanced, with neither team able to carve out a clear opening despite the high tempo and physical duels that defined the contest.
The match shifted early in the second half when Equatorial Guinea were reduced to 10 men.
Basilo Ndung was shown a straight red card in the 50th minute following a dangerous challenge, forcing coach Juan Micha to reorganise his side and rethink his approach.
Burkina Faso sought to capitalise on their numerical advantage and believed they had taken the lead in the 71st minute when Lassina Traoré found the net.
However, after a VAR review, the goal was ruled out, adding to the frustration of the Stallions as Equatorial Guinea held firm.
Against the run of play, it was Equatorial Guinea who struck first.
In the 85th minute, substitute Marvin Aniebo made an immediate impact, rising to meet Carlos Akapo’s corner and heading past the goalkeeper to give his side a shock lead just three minutes after coming on.
With defeat looming, Burkina Faso threw numbers forward, refusing to accept the outcome.
Their persistence was finally rewarded in the fifth minute of added time when substitute György Menongo pounced to level the score, sparking belief among the Stallions.
Moments later, disbelief swept through the stadium.
In the eighth minute of stoppage time, Edmond Tapsoba powered home the winner, completing an extraordinary turnaround and sending Burkina Faso’s players and supporters into raptures.
