Cameroon secured a 2-1 comeback victory over Mozambique to finish as Group F runners-up, though both teams progressed to the AFCON 2025 knockout stages.
Cameroon defeated Mozambique 2-1 at the Adrar Stadium on Wednesday night to secure second place in Group F.
The Mambas took a surprise lead midway through the first half when Geny Catamo jinked into space and curled a fine left-footed effort into the corner.
However, the Indomitable Lions responded swiftly, drawing level five minutes later via a Nene own goal following a sustained Cameroonian attack.
The match was decided in the 55th minute by a “goal-of-the-tournament contender from Christian Kofane.” The forward unleashed a powerful long-range strike that clipped the underside of the crossbar before nestling in the net.
While Cameroon dominated large spells, they were guilty of poor finishing, including a strike from Karl Etta Eyong which Jackson noted “will probably go down as the miss of the tournament.”
Despite the defeat, the result was historic for Mozambique. Finishing third in the group, the Mambas have advanced to the knockout stage for the first time in their history.
Cameroon’s victory sets up a high-profile last-16 encounter against South Africa this Sunday, while Mozambique prepares for a challenging knockout debut against Nigeria on Monday.
Both sides utilized their benches heavily as they looked toward the next round.