Ivory Coast and Cameroon lit up AFCON 2025 with dramatic late rallies that sealed their progress from Group F and sent fans across Africa into celebration. Defending champions Ivory Coast overturned a 2-0 deficit to beat Gabon 3-2 in Marrakech, finishing top on seven points, as reported by SoftFootball in the coverage of the stunning comeback.
Goals from Jean-Philippe Krasso, Evann Guessand and teenage hero Bazoumana Touré capped another famous night for the Elephants, who once again refused to accept defeat. Cameroon also had reason to celebrate after edging Mozambique 2-1 in Agadir to finish second in the group.
A 55th-minute strike from young forward Christian Kofane proved decisive, while Mozambique still advanced as one of the best third-placed teams. SoftFootball also highlighted Cameroon’s resilience earlier in the group after their thrilling draw with Ivory Coast, underlining how tight Group F proved to be.
As the final whistles blew, social media quickly filled with emotional reactions. One X user, Pastor Bee, was clearly struck by the mental strength shown by the defending champions and intended to underline how extraordinary their response to adversity was
He wrote in full:
This country needs to be studied. Their resilience is unmatched.
Another fan, posting under the name St. Michael, focused his message on praising the tactical side of Ivory Coast’s comeback. His intention was to give credit not just to the players, but also to the man on the bench.
Ha said:
Insane tenacity by Cote d’Ivoire 🙌
Props to their coach, Emerson Faye!
Dude has incredible decision making abilities 🔥
For Margie, the comeback felt like a familiar story. She referenced the previous tournament to suggest Ivory Coast have rediscovered a winning formula.
She wrote:
Just like the last Afcon, Cote d’Ivoire are back with their Magic.
Fans from outside Ivory Coast also joined in. Mokgalaka from South Africa highlighted the champion mentality on display, stressing that the comeback showed exactly why the Elephants are reigning AFCON holders.
He said:
What a comeback, ivory coast showed why they are #AFCON defending champion.
With knockout clashes now set, including South Africa versus Cameroon, Group F has already delivered drama that reminds everyone why AFCON remains so emotionally powerful.
