Reigning Afcon champions Algeria are in danger of an early exit from the tournament after a shock 1-0 defeat by outsiders Equatorial Guinea in Douala this past Sunday, while Ivory Coast and Mali were held to draws by Sierra Leone and Gambia, respectively.
Algeria 0-1 Equatorial Guinea
Equatorial Guinea inflicted a first defeat in 36 games on Algeria on Sunday to leave the reigning champions in serious danger of a group-stage exit from the Africa Cup of Nations after an astonishing goalkeeping blunder cost Ivory Coast victory over Sierra Leone.
Esteban Obiang, one of a host of Equatorial Guinea players born in Spain, scored the 70th-minute goal that gave his side a 1-0 win in Douala as Algeria lost for the first time since October 2018.
That unbeaten run ends just two matches shy of Italy’s recently established record of 37 without defeat and Algeria now need to beat Ivory Coast in their final Group E outing on Thursday if they are to make the last 16.
Djamel Belmadi’s side could only draw 0-0 with Sierra Leone in their opening game in Cameroon and if they do not succeed against the Ivorians it will be the fifth time in six Afcons that the holders have failed to go beyond the group stage of the finals.
Ivory Coast 2-2 Sierra Leone
It was a dramatic day at the Japoma Stadium, where Badra Ali Sangare’s incredible injury-time error gifted Sierra Leone a point in a 2-2 draw with Ivory Coast.
With the Elephants leading 2-1, Sangare went to catch a ball headed back to him by a teammate in the third added minute in an attempt to prevent a corner, only to drop it into the path of Steven Caulker who squared for substitute Alhaji Kamara to score.
That remarkable moment prevented Ivory Coast from wrapping up qualification for the last 16.
Sangare, who has taken over the gloves at this tournament because first-choice Sylvain Gbohouo was handed a doping ban, then went off injured, leaving right back Serge Aurier to see out the match between the posts.
Before the late drama the 2015 champions appeared to have a second win in as many games sewn up thanks to Nicolas Pepe’s second-half strike.
Franck Kessie had an early penalty for the Elephants saved but Ajax star Sebastien Haller put them ahead and Musa Kamara made it 1-1 before Pepe struck.
Tunisia 4-0 Mauritania
Elsewhere, Wahbi Khazri scored twice as Tunisia recovered from a controversial loss to Mali by hammering Mauritania 4-0 in the coastal town of Limbe to register their first points in Group F.
Saint-Etienne forward Khazri’s brace came after Hamza Mathlouthi’s early opener. Khazri then created the final goal of the afternoon for Seifeddine Jaziri, while Youssef Msakni missed a late penalty for Tunisia.
Mali 1-1 Gambia
Mali and tournament debutants Gambia both sit a point above Tunisia on four points after they drew 1-1 at the same venue, Musa Barrow converting a 90th-minute penalty for Gambia to cancel out Ibrahima Kone’s 79th-minute spot kick at the other end.
The final round of group games begins on Monday when hosts Cameroon play Cape Verde and Burkina Faso face Ethiopia in Group A.
