The defending champions, Ivory Coast, faced off against five-time winners Cameroon, resulting in a gritty 1-1 draw during the Africa Cup of Nations on Sunday.
In a thrilling finish, Cameroon’s Bryan Mbeumo nearly secured the win with a last-minute shot, but Ivorian defender Odilon Kossounou heroically blocked the attempt, taking the full impact of the ball.
Neither side showed hesitation; Cameroon’s tenacious display under new coach David Pagou highlighted the team’s solidarity following the dismissal of previous coach Marc Brys just weeks before the tournament, amid a public dispute stemming from grievances raised by federation president Samuel Eto’o.
As the Cameroon players entered the stadium in Marrakech, they were seen dancing, a vibrant display captured on TV alongside Barcelona‘s Jules Koundé and Real Madrid‘s Aurélien Tchouaméni, both French internationals, sitting together to watch the match. Notable France superstar Kylian Mbappé was also present.
The deadlock was broken in the 51st minute when Amad netted his second goal in as many games for Ivory Coast, delivering a beautifully curled strike inside the post.
Cameroon responded quickly, equalizing just five minutes later when Junior Tchamadeu’s shot deflected off Ivorian defender Ghislain Konan, resulting in what was ruled an own goal, looping over the goalkeeper.
Both teams now sit on four points in Group F and are optimistic about advancing to the knockout stage, with the top two from each group, along with the four best third-place teams, moving forward.
A moment of silence was observed before the match in memory of former Ivory Coast coach Jean-Louis Gasset, who passed away last week.