SOCCER: Cameroon, Ivory Coast draw heavyweight clash

MARRAKECH – Defending champions Ivory Coast took an early lead that lasted just five minutes before Cameroon equalized to secure a 1-1 draw in their highly anticipated Africa Cup of Nations clash on Sunday.

Amad Diallo opened the scoring for the Ivorians in the 51st minute, marking his second consecutive game with a goal, only for Cameroon fullback Junior Tchamadeu to level the score in the 56th minute with a deflected shot at the Grande Stade Marrakech.

The two football powerhouses, who collectively hold eight Cup of Nations titles, now share the top spot in Group F with four points each, followed by Mozambique on three points.

Earlier on Sunday, Gabon fell 3-2 to Mozambique in Agadir, and as a result, they were eliminated from the tournament following the draw in Marrakech.

Diallo, who also scored in Ivory Coast’s 1-0 win over Mozambique in their tournament opener, displayed his class again. After receiving a long ball on the right flank, he cut inside and curled a precise left-footed shot into the far corner.

“I’m going to try to give my best in this competition. I’ll never give up,” Diallo said after being named man of the match for the second consecutive game.

The goal came just three minutes after Ivorian captain Frank Kessie had bundled the ball into the net, only for the effort to be ruled out for a narrow offside.

Namaso Hits Crossbar

Cameroon quickly responded, with Danny Namaso’s shot hitting the crossbar after a deflection. Their equalizer came shortly after when Tchamadeu’s effort struck Ivory Coast defender Ghislain Konan, looping over goalkeeper Yahia Fofana and into the net.

The match was marked by high-tempo action and several missed chances, particularly from Ivory Coast striker Vakoun Bayo, who started in place of Wilfried Zaha.

Cameroon handed a debut to 19-year-old Christian Kofane, who has impressed in his first season at Bayer Leverkusen. Kofane had previously declined call-ups for Cameroon’s World Cup qualifiers in recent months.

Groups A and B conclude on Monday, and by Wednesday, the field for the round of 16 will be finalized. The knockout stage begins next weekend.

-Reporting by Mark Gleeson in Tangiers; Editing by Ed Osmond/Reuters