Defending champions Côte d’Ivoire, former winners Algeria and Burkina Faso all opened their TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Morocco 2025 campaigns with victories on Wednesday, with late drama and commanding performances highlighting an action-packed day 4 of the 2025 AFCON.
At the Marrakech Stadium, Côte d’Ivoire began their title defence with a disciplined 1–0 victory over Mozambique in Group F. Amad Diallo proved the difference shortly after the restart, scoring the decisive goal in a contest that demanded patience and tactical control from the holders.
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The Elephants dominated possession from the outset, with Franck Kessié and Wilfried Zaha dictating play as Côte d’Ivoire searched for openings against a well-organised Mozambican side.
Clear chances were limited in the first half, but the breakthrough came four minutes into the second period when Kessié’s header fell to Diallo, who calmly slotted home a low finish.
The goal allowed Côte d’Ivoire to settle into their rhythm, managing the game expertly to limit Mozambique’s attacking threat and secure a clean sheet.
The win places the defending champions atop Group F after the opening round of matches.
In Group E, Algeria made an emphatic statement with a convincing 3–0 win over Sudan at the Moulay Hassan Stadium in Rabat.
The 2019 champions were clinical throughout, with captain Riyad Mahrez netting twice and substitute Ibrahim Maza adding a late third.
Mahrez opened the scoring inside two minutes, finishing confidently after a precise pass from Hicham Boudaoui.
Sudan’s task became more difficult just before half-time when Salah El-Din Adel was dismissed for a second bookable offence.
Algeria capitalised on their numerical advantage after the break, with Mahrez doubling the lead on 61 minutes before Maza sealed the result late on.
The day’s most dramatic encounter came in Casablanca, where Burkina Faso produced an astonishing late turnaround to defeat Equatorial Guinea 2–1.
Despite Equatorial Guinea taking a shock lead in the 85th minute through substitute Marvin Aniebo—after being reduced to ten men earlier in the half—Burkina Faso refused to relent.
Their pressure told deep into stoppage time, as György Menongo equalised in the fifth minute of added time before Edmond Tapsoba powered home a dramatic winner moments later to complete a remarkable comeback.
The result leaves Burkina Faso level on points with Algeria at the top of Group E, while Sudan and Equatorial Guinea remain without a point after the opening round.
In Agadir, five-time champions Cameroon kicked off their AFCON 2025 campaign with a narrow but vital 1–0 victory over Gabon in a tense Group F encounter played on Wednesday.
Spain-based forward Karl Etta Eyong proved the difference, scoring after just six minutes following a well-weighted pass from Bryan Mbeumo, with the goal standing after a lengthy VAR review for offside.
The win earned Cameroon three crucial points, drawing them level with defending champions Côte d’Ivoire, who also recorded a 1–0 win earlier in the day.
It marked Cameroon’s first Africa Cup of Nations victory over Gabon, following a defeat in 2010 and a draw in 2017.
Despite introducing star striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang midway through the first half, Gabon struggled to break down a disciplined Cameroonian defence.
Cameroon consistently looked the more dangerous side and managed the game effectively to secure a positive start to their tournament campaign.
With champions asserting their authority and late drama already unfolding, the TotalEnergies AFCON 2025 has burst into life, promising a fiercely competitive tournament as the group stage continues.
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