Burundi, initially leading the group before the last day, suffered a 1-2 loss to DR Congo. Yamin Ndikumana had given Burundi the lead in the 15th minute, but DR Congo responded with goals from Jean-Marc Makusu (25th), who scored twice to secure the victory. Despite their strong start in the tournament, Burundi’s dream of advancing further came to an end.
On the other hand, Gabon faced a tough challenge against Mauritania but managed to secure a 4-2 victory. Moulaye Ahmed Bessam, a standout player for Mauritania in the tournament, scored early in the 3rd minute. Despite Duval N’Zembi equalizing, Bessam once again gave Mauritania the lead. Aaron Appindangoye equalized for Gabon (86th), and in stoppage time, Bonaventure Sokambi scored twice, securing a 4-2 win for Gabon.
With these results, Gabon finished on top of Group D with 7 points, followed by DR Congo with 6 points. Unfortunately, Burundi, with 4 points, missed out on advancing to the quarter-finals. Gabon will face Libya, while DR Congo will play against Ghana in the quarter-finals.
