Algeria is stunned that the African Cup is full of surprises

The Algerian runners-up lost 1-0 to Equatorial Guinea on Sunday in one of the biggest ever African Cup of Nations matches, with a fifth-tier defender playing in Spain last year scoring Riyad Mahrez and taking the lead. superstar teammates.

Esteban Obiang hit the back of the net in the 70th minute to connect with a corner for the winner of Equatorial Guinea, who finished without losing to the four-year-old African champion and left a piece of the Cameroon title defense. Algerian fans bowed their heads and cried at the Japoma stadium in Douala.

Algeria started the attack in the last 10 minutes after a desperate attack on the gate of Equatorial Guinea, but Mahrez and his team could not find a way to beat 20-year-old goalkeeper Jesús Owono. Algeria canceled out two straight goals for offside, one in the first half and the other in a draw.

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After a surprisingly 0-0 win over Sierra Leone in their first match, Algeria is the last match of Group E against the former Côte d’Ivoire champions.

It looked like the Africa Cup of Nations couldn’t come as a surprise on Sunday after a series of dramatic leagues between small Sierra Leone and Gambia. Sierra Leone took advantage of a huge mistake by the goalkeeper in the depths of the void, drawing 2-2 against two-time champions Ivory Coast in another Group E match.

Gambia has tied with Mali

The Gambia converted a 90-minute penalty by a 1-1 draw with Mali, leaving the Gambian debutant in the top spot in Group F, ahead of the former Tunisian and Mali champions, to play more than one match in the group.

Gambia and Malik included penalties provided after VAR checks. In the 79th minute, Ibrahima Koné sided with Mali. But Gambia, who had previously hit the post and the crossbar with a free kick, saved a point through Mussa Barrow in the last minute.

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In the other match of this group, Tunisia convincingly recovered from the very controversial loss against Mali in order to win Mauritania as expected, and to offer the only match that has gone on as expected. Tunisia won 4-0, prevailed 2-0 after eight minutes, and captain Wahbi Khazri scored the pair in a match that could attract more attention on any other day.

First known for being the smallest country on the continent of Africa, Gambia is undefeated in a major tournament in its first two matches, winning the first match against Mauritania. In the disastrous end of Côte d’Ivoire against Sierra Leone, goalkeeper Badra Ali Sangaré awkwardly landed on a corner kick trying to catch a header from one of his defenders, and the ball came out of his hands, leaving it to Alhaji Kamara. Sierra Leone equalized in the 93rd minute.

Ivory Coast is imploding

Sierra Leone is making its first appearance in the Africa Cup of Nations in 26 years and is now level against two heavyweights in Algeria and Côte d’Ivoire, without a defeat to return to a great victory after more than two decades. One second after the victory, Côte d’Ivoire managed to avoid defeat in the midst of the chaos at the end, when Sangaré was taken out on the stretcher, scoring a goal after injuring himself. Defender Serge Aurier had to be on target for the remaining minute as Côte d’Ivoire used all the substitutions.

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Côte d’Ivoire exploded despite controlling the final stages and working on a winning streak.

AC Milan’s Franck Kessié missed a Côte d’Ivoire penalty in the 12th minute, or rather saved a brilliant save by Sierra Leonean goalkeeper Mohamed Kamara, the hero of the equalizer against the powerful Algeria.

Ajax striker Sébastien Haller put Ivory Coast ahead on the 25th.

But Musa Kamara broke the deadlock for Sierra Leone in the 55th, and Côte d’Ivoire had to fight again. It seemed as though Nicolas Pépé was the scorer for Sangaré.

If Côte d’Ivoire had won the playoffs, they would have won. They are still the leading team, but now they have to face Algeria in their last group match, with their two destinies hanging in the balance in a team that would both cross.

After the first week of the Africa Cup of Nations, Algeria and Côte d’Ivoire are not the only big teams worried about the final matches of the sets that will start on Monday. Ghana, four-time champions, are not even one of the top-ranked teams, and Tunisia are not guaranteed a knockout. Senegal and Egypt must also work to ensure that Sadio Mané and Mohamed Salah are not on the first planes to leave Cameroon.