Stars from Manchester united in victory

RABAT — Amad Diallo and Riyad Mahrez starred, as defending champion Cote d'Ivoire and former winner Algeria had contrasting victories on Wednesday when the first round of Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) group matches concluded in Morocco.

Manchester United winger Diallo struck early in the second half with a close-range shot to give Cote d'Ivoire a hard-earned 1-0 Group F victory over Mozambique in a wet Marrakesh.

Earlier, Algeria cruised to a 3-0 Group E win over 10-man Sudan in Rabat with another winger, former Manchester City star Mahrez, becoming the third player to bag a brace at the tournament.

"The most important thing was to start with a win," Mahrez said. "The last two AFCONs, we didn't start well. Today, we really wanted to make it happen and we did.

"As a team, we want to get to the final. We have not come here to make up the numbers."

He added: "I have enough experience to know that this is just one match and we need to keep our feet on the ground."

Elsewhere, an early Karl Etta Eyong goal gave Cameroon a tense 1-0 win over Gabon in Agadir, and Burkina Faso scored twice deep in added time to beat Equatorial Guinea 2-1 in Casablanca.

Cote d'Ivoire, which faces Cameroon and Gabon in its next group match, is aiming to become the first nation since Egypt in 2010 to successfully defend the premier African soccer title.

Defeat prolonged the Mozambican pursuit of an AFCON victory — it has drawn four matches and lost 12 since its 1986 debut.

Winger Elias 'Domingues' Pelembe came off the Mozambique bench on 67 minutes at the age of 42, making him the second-oldest player to compete at an AFCON after 44-year-old Egypt goalkeeper Essam El-Hadary.

Diallo ended the brave, well-organized resistance of Mozambique early in the second half, firing past Ernan Alberto Siluane from inside the box after a cross was headed into his path.

Cameroon needed only six minutes to score the lone goal of a fiery central African showdown with Gabon as Etta Eyong slammed the ball between the legs of goalkeeper Loyce Mbaba.

Captain Mahrez scored in each half as 2019 champion Algeria eased to a 3-0 win over 10-man Sudan.

Mahrez got the opener after just 82 seconds to the delight of the Algerian fans who made up the vast majority of the 16,115 crowd at the Moulay El Hassan Stadium.