Defending champions Ivory Coast took a lead that lasted only five minutes before Cameroon equalised to secure a 1-1 draw in their heavyweight clash at the Africa Cup of Nations finals on Sunday.
Amad Diallo scored for a second successive game to open the scoring for the Ivorians in the 51st minute but full back Junior Tchamadeu levelled for Cameroon with the help of a deflection in the 56th minute at the Grande Stade Marrakech.
The countries, who have eight Cup of Nations titles between them, now share the lead in Group F with four points apiece, followed by Mozambique on three.
Mozambique claimed a historic first victory in the Africa Cup of Nations, breathing fresh life into their campaign after overcoming Gabon 3-2 in Agadir.
Beaten in their tournament curtain-raiser by Ivory Coast, Mozambique scored twice before half-time as Faizal Bangal headed home and Geny Catamo netted from the penalty spot.
Former Arsenal and Chelsea forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang pulled one back before the break but Diogo Calila restored the two-goal cushion (above), ultimately enough to seal a maiden win for Mozambique in this tournament at the 17th attempt despite Alex Moucketou-Moussounda pulling one back.
Mozambique temporarily moved level on three points in the group alongside Ivory Coast and Cameroon, who beat Gabon, eliminated due to the Ivory Coast-Cameroon result, on Christmas Eve.
Riyad Mahrez (above) scored a first-half penalty as Algeria sealed their place in the knockout rounds of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations with a 1-0 victory over Burkina Faso in their Group E clash in Rabat.
Algeria have six points and will win the group as they cannot be overhauled by either Burkina Faso (3 points) or Sudan (3) following the third round of fixtures in the pool due to the head-to-head rule.
The Burkinabe meet Sudan in their final clash on Wednesday, while Algeria take on bottom side Equatorial Guinea, who are eliminated.
Algeria were awarded a penalty just past the 20-minute mark when Rayan Ait Nouri was felled in the box by Ismahila Ouedraogo, and Mahrez made no mistake as he sent Herve Koffi in the Burkina Faso goal the wrong way.
Mahrez extended his record as Algeria's all-time leading scorer at the Cup of Nations with his ninth goal and is also the leading scorer in this edition so far having netted twice in the opening 3-0 win over Sudan, who profited from a late own goal to beat Equatorial Guinea 1-0.
Mohamed Eisa's free kick in the 74th minute was cleared by Equatorial Guinea’s Luis Asue but struck team-mate Saul Coco and ricocheted back past the despairing dive of goalkeeper Jesus Owono.
