Marrakech: Bazoumana Toure scored in stoppage time as defending champion Ivory Coast recovered from a two-goal deficit to beat Gabon 3-2 on Wednesday in the Africa Cup of Nations, which now enters the knockout stage.
Christopher Operi crossed for Touré to head in the winner as Les Élephants staged a dramatic comeback to finish top of Group F, just ahead of Cameroon, by virtue of scoring a goal more than the Indomitable Lions.
Operi had also set up Evann Guessand for the equaliser in the 84th minute. Both of the late scorers were substitutes, as coach Emerse Faé was forced to make changes to counter Gabon’s early dominance.
The Panthers raced ahead with goals from Guélor Kanga and Denis Bouanga, before Jean-Philippe Krasso pulled one back at the end of the first half.
Five-time winner Cameroon also came from behind to beat Mozambique 2-1 in the other group game.
Both Ivory Coast and Cameroon finished with seven points each, with a goal difference of plus 2, but Ivory Coast scored five goals, compared to Cameroon’s four.
Mozambique also progressed to the last 16 as one of the four best third-place finishers.
Gabon was already eliminated after starting with two defeats.
Ivory Coast stays in Marrakech after winning the group and will next face Burkina Faso in the last 16 on Tuesday.
Cameroon was dealt a tough encounter against South Africa in Rabat on Sunday, and Mozambique will face Nigeria the next day in Fez.
In other confirmed matchups, 2021 champion Senegal will play Sudan in Tangier on Saturday before Tunisia plays Mali in Casablanca.
Host nation Morocco will face Tanzania in Rabat on Sunday, and seven-time champion Egypt will play Benin in Agadir on Monday.
Also, Algeria and Congo meet in Rabat on Tuesday.
Despite a 2-0 loss to Burkina Faso in its final group game, Sudan could look forward to the knockout stage after qualifying as one of the best third-place finishers.
Both teams were already assured of advancing before their Group E match Wednesday. Sudan progressed despite the complication of playing all its qualification games away from home as the country contends with a brutal war and humanitarian crisis. Agencies
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