AFCON: Late goals earn Burkina Faso victory as Mahrez stars for Algeria

Burkina Faso scored two goals deep in added time to overcome ten-man Equatorial Guinea 2-1 in their Group E encounter at the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations AFCON 2025 in Morocco.

The Burkinabe were slight favourites coming into their first group match but were made to work harder than usual for the maximum points, Georgi Minoungou and Edmond Tapsoba delivering the sucker punches to overturn Marvin Anieboh’s opener despite Basilio Ndong’s red card.

Ndong was sent off five minutes into the second half for dangerous tackle, stepping on the heels of Bertrand Traore, and the left back exited the pitch in tears as he became the first player to receive a red card at AFCON 2025.

Equatorial Guinea, however, went ahead through Anieboh’s header five minutes before the end of the match, but more drama ensued in added time as they snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.

Substitute Minoungou fired low into the bottom corner from inside the penalty area to equalize five minutes into added time, before Tapsoba’s header from a poorly cleared cross sailed into the net to seal the unlikely victory three minutes later.

Algeria also won, and in comfortable fashion, steamrolling ten-man Sudan 3-0 with Riyad Mahrez netting a brace. The former Leicester City and Manchester City prolific winger scored the opener with a trademark curling effort two minutes into the match for the fastest goal so far at AFCON 2025.

He doubled the lead after the hour mark, and Ibrahim Maza rounded off the win five minutes from time.

Defending champions Ivory Coast also made a winning start in Morocco, Amad Diallo’s second half strike proving the matchwinner in the 1-0 win over Mozambique, while Cameroon also claimed all three points in Group F with a 1-0 win thanks to Etta Eyong’s early goal.

RESULTS

Burkina Faso vs Equatorial Guinea  2-1 Algeria vs Sudan  3-0 Ivory Coast vs Mozambique  1-0 Cameroon vs Gabon  1-0

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