Africa Cup of Nations results in Morocco on Tuesday (aet denotes after extra time):
Last 16
Algeria 1 Democratic Republic of Congo 0 — aet
Ivory Coast 3 Burkina Faso 0
MANCHESTER UNITED winger Amad Diallo starred as the Ivory Coast beat Burkina Faso 3-0 on Monday and became the first Africa Cup of Nations defending champions to reach the quarter-finals since 2010.
Diallo struck the opening goal and created the second for Yan Diomande before half-time substitute Bazoumana Toure completed the scoring in the closing minutes in Marrakesh.
Ivory Coast now travel south to the Moroccan coastal city of Agadir, where they will face record seven-time champions Egypt on Saturday for a semi-final place.
Since Egypt successfully defended the title in Angola 16 years ago, seven title holders have failed to reach the last eight.
Cameroon and Senegal made last-16 exits, Zambia, Ivory Coast and Algeria were eliminated after the group stage, and Egypt and Nigeria failed to qualify for the tournament.
Burkinabe defender Adamo Nagalo was yellow-carded after just five minutes for fouling Diallo. However, the Red Devil was disappointed with the resulting free-kick, firing embarrassingly wide.
Ivory Coast were dominating possession, and captain Franck Kessie was not far off target when he tried to steer a shot into the roof of the net.
There was a sense of inevitability when the title-holders went ahead after 20 minutes. Diallo powered his way past several defenders before striking the ball beyond goalkeeper Herve Koffi.
Burkina Faso wanted the goal disallowed, claiming Nagalo had been body checked by Evann Guessand, but a VAR review confirmed the decision of the Sudanese referee to award it.
- Woodwork foils Ouattara -
Such was the control of the Ivorians that it came as no surprise when they increased their lead on 32 minutes on a cold, dry night at the foothills of the Atlas mountain range.
Advertisement
Diallo was the provider this time. Passing the ball across the box to 19-year-old Diomande, whose superbly bent shot gave Koffi no chance as it flew into the left corner.
In a rare raid, Burkina Faso almost halved the deficit as Brentford striker Dango Ouattara cut in from the right and struck the base of the post. Relieved goalkeeper Yahia Fofana grasped the rebound.
Burkina Faso coach Brama Traore took off Nagalo as half-time approached, replacing him with midfielder Blati Toure. Another change, during the break, saw Georgi Minoungou come on for striker Lassina Traore.
Starved of possession in the opening 45 minutes, the Burkinabe had more success when play resumed and came close to scoring on the hour mark.
Ouattara connected with a low cross, and Fofana reacted swiftly at his near post to push the ball away from danger.
Burkina Faso introduced Sunderland striker Bertrand Traore with 20 minutes remaining. His AFCON debut came in 2012 as a 16-year-old, and he is competing at the tournament a sixth time.
An Ivorian counterattack offered unmarked Diallo a great chance to score again, but Koffi used his leg to block a close-range shot at the expense of a corner.
Substitute Toure scored his second goal in as many matches when he ran from his own half in the 87th minute, then slammed the ball past Koffi.
Algeria's Baghdad Bounedjah celebrates after the Africa Cup of Nations round of 16 match. Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
Earlier, a thunderous strike by substitute Adil Boulbina deep in extra time settled a tense encounter as Algeria beat the Democratic Republic of Congo 1-0 in their Africa Cup of Nations last-16 tie on Tuesday.
The game at the Moulay El Hassan Stadium in Rabat was edging towards a penalty shoot-out when Boulbina, a forward who plays club football in Qatar, was released on the left in the 119th minute and advanced into the area before unleashing a vicious strike into the net.
The moment of magic sparked wild celebrations within the ground, with the majority of the 18,837 fans in attendance backing Algeria.
The 2019 champions, who won all their group games, are looking like serious contenders to claim a third continental title but now face a fascinating quarter-final showdown with Victor Osimhen’s Nigeria in Marrakesh on Saturday.
Boulbina was an unlikely hero, making just his second cameo appearance off the bench at the tournament, having been included in the squad after featuring for the Algerian team at the recent Arab Cup in Qatar.
“I have always dreamed of playing for the national team. It is the ambition of every Algerian to play for their country and do well,” said Boulbina, who was in tears at the end.
“I had my chance and scored, and the most important thing is that we won and qualified for the next round.”
😱 Le BUT EXCEPTIONNEL d'Adil Boulbina qui sauve l'Algérie à la 119ème minute face à la RD Congo ! pic.twitter.com/HSfW1BCMn0
The outcome is a painful one for the Congolese, who came into the AFCON with big ambitions and had been hoping to set up another clash with Nigeria, having defeated the Super Eagles on penalties in a World Cup qualifying play-off in November.
The Leopards will now at least be able to console themselves with the fact they have an intercontinental play-off to come in March, where a win against either New Caledonia or Jamaica will see them qualify for a first World Cup since 1974.
“We are obviously disappointed with the outcome. I thought it was a top-level game between two really good sides,” said DR Congo coach Sebastien Desabre.
“The players gave everything. We fought to the end, but unfortunately, it was not enough.”
- Super sub -
Algeria, having already guaranteed a berth at the finals in North America, remain focused for now on going all the way in Morocco.
The match itself, between two of the continent’s leading nations, had the makings of the tie of the round but never quite lived up to its billing.
There was a lack of quality in the final third from both sides despite all the attacking talent on the pitch, with neither captain, Riyad Mahrez, nor the thrilling Ibrahim Maza lasting 90 minutes for Vladimir Petkovic’s Algerian team.
Burnley defender Axel Tuanzebe headed just wide from a corner for DR Congo, and Maza fired narrowly past the goal from the edge of the box at the other end in the first half.
An Edo Kayembe shot fizzed in from range that forced a good save from Algeria goalkeeper Luca Zidane was the closest either team came in the second half as the match drifted to extra time.
Algeria had been the more consistently threatening team, though, and began to turn the screw in the extra half-hour, with Congolese goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi saving well from Fares Chaibi and Baghdad Bounedjah in quick succession in the 111th minute.
But a shoot-out appeared inevitable until Ramiz Zerrouki and Boulbina, who both emerged from the bench together in the second half of extra time, combined for the winning goal.
Zerrouki released Boulbina with a terrific pass in behind, and the 22-year-old Al-Duhail player did the rest.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Close
9 Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic.
Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy
here
before taking part.
Man United's Diallo stars as Ivory Coast set up Egypt showdown
Updated at 21.30
Africa Cup of Nations results in Morocco on Tuesday (aet denotes after extra time):
Last 16
MANCHESTER UNITED winger Amad Diallo starred as the Ivory Coast beat Burkina Faso 3-0 on Monday and became the first Africa Cup of Nations defending champions to reach the quarter-finals since 2010.
Diallo struck the opening goal and created the second for Yan Diomande before half-time substitute Bazoumana Toure completed the scoring in the closing minutes in Marrakesh.
Ivory Coast now travel south to the Moroccan coastal city of Agadir, where they will face record seven-time champions Egypt on Saturday for a semi-final place.
Since Egypt successfully defended the title in Angola 16 years ago, seven title holders have failed to reach the last eight.
Cameroon and Senegal made last-16 exits, Zambia, Ivory Coast and Algeria were eliminated after the group stage, and Egypt and Nigeria failed to qualify for the tournament.
Burkinabe defender Adamo Nagalo was yellow-carded after just five minutes for fouling Diallo. However, the Red Devil was disappointed with the resulting free-kick, firing embarrassingly wide.
Ivory Coast were dominating possession, and captain Franck Kessie was not far off target when he tried to steer a shot into the roof of the net.
There was a sense of inevitability when the title-holders went ahead after 20 minutes. Diallo powered his way past several defenders before striking the ball beyond goalkeeper Herve Koffi.
Burkina Faso wanted the goal disallowed, claiming Nagalo had been body checked by Evann Guessand, but a VAR review confirmed the decision of the Sudanese referee to award it.
- Woodwork foils Ouattara -
Such was the control of the Ivorians that it came as no surprise when they increased their lead on 32 minutes on a cold, dry night at the foothills of the Atlas mountain range.
Diallo was the provider this time. Passing the ball across the box to 19-year-old Diomande, whose superbly bent shot gave Koffi no chance as it flew into the left corner.
In a rare raid, Burkina Faso almost halved the deficit as Brentford striker Dango Ouattara cut in from the right and struck the base of the post. Relieved goalkeeper Yahia Fofana grasped the rebound.
Burkina Faso coach Brama Traore took off Nagalo as half-time approached, replacing him with midfielder Blati Toure. Another change, during the break, saw Georgi Minoungou come on for striker Lassina Traore.
Starved of possession in the opening 45 minutes, the Burkinabe had more success when play resumed and came close to scoring on the hour mark.
Ouattara connected with a low cross, and Fofana reacted swiftly at his near post to push the ball away from danger.
Burkina Faso introduced Sunderland striker Bertrand Traore with 20 minutes remaining. His AFCON debut came in 2012 as a 16-year-old, and he is competing at the tournament a sixth time.
An Ivorian counterattack offered unmarked Diallo a great chance to score again, but Koffi used his leg to block a close-range shot at the expense of a corner.
Substitute Toure scored his second goal in as many matches when he ran from his own half in the 87th minute, then slammed the ball past Koffi.
Earlier, a thunderous strike by substitute Adil Boulbina deep in extra time settled a tense encounter as Algeria beat the Democratic Republic of Congo 1-0 in their Africa Cup of Nations last-16 tie on Tuesday.
The game at the Moulay El Hassan Stadium in Rabat was edging towards a penalty shoot-out when Boulbina, a forward who plays club football in Qatar, was released on the left in the 119th minute and advanced into the area before unleashing a vicious strike into the net.
The moment of magic sparked wild celebrations within the ground, with the majority of the 18,837 fans in attendance backing Algeria.
The 2019 champions, who won all their group games, are looking like serious contenders to claim a third continental title but now face a fascinating quarter-final showdown with Victor Osimhen’s Nigeria in Marrakesh on Saturday.
Boulbina was an unlikely hero, making just his second cameo appearance off the bench at the tournament, having been included in the squad after featuring for the Algerian team at the recent Arab Cup in Qatar.
“I have always dreamed of playing for the national team. It is the ambition of every Algerian to play for their country and do well,” said Boulbina, who was in tears at the end.
“I had my chance and scored, and the most important thing is that we won and qualified for the next round.”
The outcome is a painful one for the Congolese, who came into the AFCON with big ambitions and had been hoping to set up another clash with Nigeria, having defeated the Super Eagles on penalties in a World Cup qualifying play-off in November.
The Leopards will now at least be able to console themselves with the fact they have an intercontinental play-off to come in March, where a win against either New Caledonia or Jamaica will see them qualify for a first World Cup since 1974.
“We are obviously disappointed with the outcome. I thought it was a top-level game between two really good sides,” said DR Congo coach Sebastien Desabre.
“The players gave everything. We fought to the end, but unfortunately, it was not enough.”
- Super sub -
Algeria, having already guaranteed a berth at the finals in North America, remain focused for now on going all the way in Morocco.
The match itself, between two of the continent’s leading nations, had the makings of the tie of the round but never quite lived up to its billing.
There was a lack of quality in the final third from both sides despite all the attacking talent on the pitch, with neither captain, Riyad Mahrez, nor the thrilling Ibrahim Maza lasting 90 minutes for Vladimir Petkovic’s Algerian team.
Burnley defender Axel Tuanzebe headed just wide from a corner for DR Congo, and Maza fired narrowly past the goal from the edge of the box at the other end in the first half.
An Edo Kayembe shot fizzed in from range that forced a good save from Algeria goalkeeper Luca Zidane was the closest either team came in the second half as the match drifted to extra time.
Algeria had been the more consistently threatening team, though, and began to turn the screw in the extra half-hour, with Congolese goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi saving well from Fares Chaibi and Baghdad Bounedjah in quick succession in the 111th minute.
But a shoot-out appeared inevitable until Ramiz Zerrouki and Boulbina, who both emerged from the bench together in the second half of extra time, combined for the winning goal.
Zerrouki released Boulbina with a terrific pass in behind, and the 22-year-old Al-Duhail player did the rest.
– © AFP 2026
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Adil Boulbina AFCON Class Democratic Republic of Congo Late Late Show Soccer Algeria