By Rasheed Adewuyi, New York
Ivory Coast winger Amad Diallo has expressed immense pride and emotion after scoring the decisive goal in his country’s 1–0 victory over Mozambique on Wednesday at the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025 in Morocco.
Speaking to reporters after the Group F encounter, the Manchester United forward revealed it was a dream come true to represent his nation after years of setbacks.
“I was emotional. It was a moment I’d been waiting for,” Diallo said.
“I missed two AFCON tournaments, suffered a lot of injuries, and today to find myself among those called up—and then to score the winning goal—frankly, it really moved me.”
Diallo urged his teammates to stay focused and work even harder as they prepare for their second group match against five-time champions Cameroon on Sunday.
Amad Diallo with the MOTM award.
“We need total concentration and dedication to triumph over one of the best teams in Africa,” he added.
The Ivorians, who won the 2023 edition (held in early 2024 on home soil), will look to defend their title after edging Nigeria 2–1 in the final.
Meanwhile, in the other Group F match, Cameroon overcame recent internal turmoil to beat Gabon 1–0, courtesy of an early goal by Karl Etta Eyong.
The victory comes despite a chaotic lead-up to the tournament, with a power struggle between FECAFOOT President Samuel Eto’o and national team coach Marc Brys. The conflict resulted in two separate squads being named, and high-profile players such as André Onana, Eric Choupo-Moting, and Vincent Aboubakar being dropped from the final team list.
Group F is now finely poised, with Ivory Coast and Cameroon set for a heavyweight clash that could determine top spot.
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