Diallo and Mahrez Sparkle as Ivory Coast, Algeria win

Defending champions Ivory Coast and former winners Algeria launched their AFCON campaigns with vital victories as the opening round of group stages concluded in Morocco. Manchester United’s Amad Diallo proved the difference for the Ivorians, netting a clinical close-range strike to secure a hard-fought 1-0 win over a resilient Mozambique side.

The Elephants are on a historic mission to become the first team to successfully defend the title since Egypt’s 2010 "three-peat." While Mozambique offered brave resistance—highlighted by 42-year-old Elias Pelembe becoming the tournament's second-oldest player—Diallo’s second-half breakthrough ensured the holders started their Group F journey on top.

In Rabat, Algeria enjoyed a far more comfortable afternoon, cruising to a 3-0 victory over a 10-man Sudan squad. Former Manchester City icon Riyad Mahrez stole the show, finding the net after just 82 seconds before completing a classy brace just after the hour mark to delight the traveling desert fans.

Elsewhere, the drama continued as Cameroon edged Gabon 1-0 thanks to an early Karl Etta Eyong strike, while Burkina Faso pulled off a miraculous 2-1 comeback against Equatorial Guinea with two goals deep in stoppage time. With the heavyweights now off the mark, the race for continental supremacy in Morocco is officially heating up.