Three countries have already secured their tickets to the Round of 16 at the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), with Algeria becoming the latest side to confirm qualification following another gripping day of action on Sunday.
Algeria sealed their spot with a narrow 1-0 victory over Burkina Faso in Group E. Captain Riyad Mahrez kept his composure from the penalty spot to score the only goal of the match, steering the Desert Foxes to a second successive win.
That outcome lifted Algeria to six points from two games, placing them out of reach of the chasing pack. Burkina Faso and Sudan both remain on three points, while Equatorial Guinea are still searching for their first point of the campaign. Algeria have once again shown they know how to navigate the group stages. Recall they won the AFCON title in 1990 and 2019.
Their qualification means they join Nigeria and Egypt as the only teams so far to have mathematically confirmed a place in the knockout rounds of the tournament.
Away from the Algeria match, Sunday also produced a surprise in Group E as Sudan edged Equatorial Guinea 1-0 in Casablanca. The decisive moment came in the 74th minute when Coco inadvertently turned the ball into his own net, handing Sudan a crucial victory that keeps their qualification hopes firmly alive.
In Group F, Mozambique breathed new life into their campaign with a dramatic 3-2 comeback win against Gabon in Agadir. Gabon had taken the lead through Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang just before the break. Still, goals from Bangal, Geny Catamo and Calila swung the contest in Mozambique’s favour despite a late Gabon response.
Attention later shifted to Marrakesh, where the Ivory Coast and Cameroon recorded a 1-1 draw in a high-profile Group F clash. This means that both sides currently have four points each in two games.
