Cameroon and Côte d’Ivoire played out a 1–1 draw on Sunday night at the Marrakech Stadium, leaving Group F wide open after a high-level clash between two of Africa’s football giants. Having both won their opening matches—Cameroon against Gabon and Côte d’Ivoire versus Mozambique—the two sides met with the clear objective of taking control of the group. Both coaches made bold attacking selections. Emerse Faé chose to start Vakoun Bayo ahead of Wilfried Zaha, while Cameroon coach David Pagou preferred Christian Kofane over Karl Etta Eyong in his starting lineup. Ivory Coast began the match strongly, pressing high and dominating the early duels. The Elephants created the first major chance in the seventh minute through Amad Diallo. Cameroon gradually grew into the contest, posing a threat on the counterattack. Darlin Yongwa went close in the 11th minute before the Indomitable Lions enjoyed a strong spell of control. Kofane struck the crossbar in the 21st minute, while Carlos Baleba failed to capitalise on a promising opportunity five minutes later. Côte d’Ivoire finished the first half on the front foot, with Bayo narrowly missing a headed chance in the 41st minute. The intensity continued after the break. In the 51st minute, Diallo produced a stunning strike to put the defending champions ahead, shortly after a goal by Côte d’Ivoire captain Franck Kessié had been ruled out for offside. Cameroon responded with determination. Strong in the duels and relentless in their effort, they kept pushing forward. Defender Junior Tchamadeu tried his luck from the edge of the box, and his shot—deflected by Ghislain Konan—wrong-footed goalkeeper Yahia Fofana to bring Cameroon level. The final stages turned into a true battle. Watched from the stands by Kylian Mbappé, Aurélien Tchouaméni and Jules Koundé, both teams traded attacks and created chances to win the match, but the 1–1 draw was a fair reflection of the contest. Cameroon stood firm against the reigning African champions, underlining their competitiveness. Neither side has yet secured qualification for the round of 16. Cameroon remain top of Group F on goal difference, level on four points with Côte d’Ivoire, ahead of a decisive final round of matches. Earlier in the day, also in Group F, Mozambique produced the first major upset of AFCON 2025 by defeating Gabon 3–2 in a thrilling encounter. The victory was historic for Mozambique, marking their first-ever win at AFCON, and a huge disappointment for Gabon, who were eliminated despite the presence of star striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
