CASABLANCA – Bazoumana Touré scored in stoppage time as defending champion Ivory Coast recovered from a two-goal deficit to beat Gabon 3-2 on Wednesday in the Africa Cup of Nations, which now enters the knockout stage.
Christopher Opéri crossed for Touré to head in the winner as Les Éléphants staged a dramatic comeback to finish top of Group F, just ahead of Cameroon, by virtue of scoring a goal more than the Indomitable Lions.
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Opéri had also set up Evann Guessand for the equalizer in the 84th minute. Both of the late scorers were substitutes, as coach Emerse Faé was forced to make changes to counter Gabon's early dominance.
The Panthers raced ahead with goals from Guélor Kanga and Denis Bouanga, before Jean‑Philippe Krasso pulled one back at the end of the first half.
“We wanted this first place, and we had to work in the second half for it,” Faé said.
Five-time winner Cameroon also came from behind to beat Mozambique 2-1 in the other group game.
Both Ivory Coast and Cameroon finished with seven points each, with a goal difference of plus 2, but Ivory Coast scored five goals, compared to Cameroon’s four.
Mozambique also progressed to the last 16 as one of the four best third-place finishers.
Gabon was already eliminated after starting with two defeats.
Last 16 games
Ivory Coast stays in Marrakech after winning the group and will next face Burkina Faso in the last 16 on Tuesday.
Cameroon was dealt a tough encounter against South Africa in Rabat on Sunday, and Mozambique will face Nigeria the next day in Fez.
In other confirmed matchups, 2021 champion Senegal will play Sudan in Tangier on Saturday before Tunisia plays Mali in Casablanca.
Host nation Morocco will face Tanzania in Rabat on Sunday, and seven-time champion Egypt will play Benin in Agadir on Monday.
Also, Algeria and Congo meet in Rabat on Tuesday.
Down but not out
Despite a 2-0 loss to Burkina Faso in its final group game, Sudan could look forward to the knockout stage after qualifying as one of the best third-place finishers.
Both teams were already assured of advancing before their Group E match Wednesday. Sudan progressed despite the complication of playing all its qualification games away from home as the country contends with a brutal war and humanitarian crisis.
“This is good for all Sudanese,” Sudan coach James Appiah said.
Burkina Faso made a better start and the Stallions duly took the lead through Lassina Traoré in the 16th.
Sudan had a great opportunity to level when Burkinabe ’keeper Hervé Koffi bundled over Al Gozoli Nooh in the penalty area, but Nooh missed the resulting spot kick.
The Sudanese fans, who were in a majority at the Stade Mohammed V stadium, tried rallying the team. Yasir Mozamil was just wide, and Amar Abdallah missed another good chance for Sudan.
Arsène Kouassi sealed the Stallions' win with a late goal as Burkina Faso finished second in the group.
Algeria wins
Algeria, already assured of topping the group, signed off before its last-16 meeting with Congo with a 3-1 win over Equatorial Guinea, which finished with three defeats.
Zineddine Belaid, Fares Chaibi and Ibrahim Maza scored in the first half for Algeria.
Veteran forward Emilio Nsue – playing for the first time legally in the Africa Cup – scored a brilliant consolation for the National Thunder in the second half. The 36-year-old Nsue was the top scorer at the last edition, but FIFA in 2024 ruled he was never eligible over his 11 years playing for Equatorial Guinea. He was finally cleared to play in March this year.
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