AFCON 2025: Yan Diomande shines in Côte d’Ivoire’s winning start

Yan Diomande took his fine form to the African Cup of Nations as the masked man had an impressive tournament debut in the win over Mozambique.

Yan Diomande’s Côte d’Ivoire started their AFCON title defense with a narrow win over Mozambique in Group F. RB Leipzig’s flying winger produced yet another solid performance on the global stage as the defending champions dominated their opponents from start to finish.

However, Amad Diallo’s goal early in the second-half was the only difference between the sides on the scoreline. Hoffenheim’s 19-year-old attacker Bazoumana Touré will hope to make his tournament debut when Côte d’Ivoire play Cameroon in the battle of African football powerhouses on Sunday.

Cameroon also started their campaign with a win over Gabon in the final game of matchday one in the group stage. Karl Etta Eyong made sure none of the first 12 matches of the tournament ended goalless with a goal that needed a lengthy VAR check.

Including the introduction of a former Bundesliga top-scorer in the form of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Gabon surprised Cameroon with a couple of substitutions at the half-hour mark. But the five-time winners managed to hold on to their slender lead in an end-to-end encounter. Bayer Leverkusen’s rising star Christian Kofane was an unused substitute for the Indomitable Lions.