Amad Diallo earned Man of the Match honors after his stunning goal secured a point for defending champions Côte d’Ivoire in a thrilling 1-1 draw against Cameroon at the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025.
The Manchester United star’s brilliance lit up Marrakesh, leaving both teams level on four points in Group F.
The first half stayed cagey, with Cameroon nearly ahead when Christian Kofane’s header smashed the crossbar after 20 minutes. Côte d’Ivoire thought they led at halftime, but Franck Kessié’s volley got flagged offside. Neither side backed down in a match packed with end-to-end action.
Early in the second half, Diallo grabbed the spotlight. He took a long pass from Ghislain Konan on the right, cut inside, and curled a left-footed beauty past Devis Epassy for a 1-0 lead. Cameroon hit back quickly, Junior Tchamadeu’s shot deflecting off Konan to tie it five minutes later.
Both teams chased a winner, but Bryan Mbeumo’s free-kick sailed wide for Cameroon, and Côte d’Ivoire held firm.
The draw sets up crucial final group games on New Year’s Eve: Cameroon faces Mozambique in Agadir, while Côte d’Ivoire meets eliminated Gabon in Marrakesh. Diallo’s flair made him the standout.
