Africa Cup Thrills: Cameroon, Ivory Coast Draw; Algeria Clinches Last 16 Spot

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RABAT, Morocco - In a thrilling match at the Africa Cup of Nations, Ivory Coast and Cameroon played to a 1-1 draw on Sunday, while Algeria secured its spot in the last 16. The draw between the two top teams in Group F means both can confidently progress to the knockout stage, along with the four best third-place teams. The match saw Amad Diallo break the deadlock for Ivory Coast in the 51st minute with a sweet strike, but Cameroon replied five minutes later when Junior Tchamadeu's shot took a deflection to loop over the goalkeeper. This goal was initially ruled an own goal from the left back. In another Group F match, Mozambique boosted its chances of progression with a 3-2 win over Gabon. Meanwhile, Algeria reached the last 16 with a 1-0 win over Burkina Faso, thanks to Riyad Mahrez's penalty in the 23rd minute. The 34-year-old Mahrez took his tally to three goals in two games, securing a maximum six points for Algeria in Group E. Algeria's victory came as a relief to its fans, who had made the relatively short trip to the Moulay El Hassan Stadium in Rabat. "We were focused on qualifying and not individual awards," said Algeria youngster Ibrahim Maza, 20, praising his team's teamwork. Zinedine Zidane, the France great, was again spotted watching Algeria from the stands, this time in Rabat. In other Group E matches, Burkina Faso stayed second on three points after its opening win over Equatorial Guinea. Sudan revived its chances of progression with a 1-0 win over Equatorial Guinea in Casablanca, but the team's coach James Kwesi Appiah emphasized that their ambition is to win the title, not just achieve a single victory. Sudan faces Burkina Faso in its final group game on Wednesday, with a place in the last 16 at stake. Equatorial Guinea, with two defeats, was eliminated from the competition.