Algeria will be looking to make it a perfect Africa Cup of Nations group phase when they face Equatorial Guinea on Wednesday, particularly if they keep another clean sheet as goalkeeper Luca Zidane shines in Morocco.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s international career looks to have ended with a whimper as he headed back to France on Tuesday and will miss Gabon’s last game at the Africa Cup of Nations finals.

African player of the year Achraf Hakimi made his comeback from almost two months out injured for Morocco as Mali also qualified for the next round and Mohamed Salah was rested for Egypt's 0-0 draw against Angola.

Nigeria have six points in Group C, Tunisia three and Tanzania and Uganda one each going into the final round of games on Tuesday.

Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappe was among the spectators at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat on Friday evening, turning up in a Morocco jersey bearing Achraf Hakimi’s number two as he travelled especially to support his close friend during the hosts’ second group match of the Africa Cup of Nations. 

The France and Real Madrid legend watched proudly from the stands as his son, Luca Zidane, stood between the posts for Algeria, turning a routine group-stage win into a moment steeped in legacy.

Among the spectators in the Moroccan capital was France legend Zinedine Zidane, whose parents came from Algeria and whose son Luca was starting in goal for the Desert Foxes.

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 in Rabat.

Ademola Lookman scored a superb second-half winner as Nigeria earned a 2-1 Africa Cup of Nations Group C victory over Tanzania in the pouring rain in Fes on Tuesday, a positive start for the silver medallists from two years ago, but one that was not without moments of alarm.

Algeria will be aiming to live up to their billing as the fourth-best side in Africa according to the FIFA rankings.

The final of the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) yesterday had entered the 81st minute, with the score line reading 1-1 and hosts Ivory Coast, who had come back from the brink multiple times in the competition, conjuring up an attack against opponents Nigeria.

"When I think about all we have been through, we are miracle survivors. We never gave up and we managed to come back from so many tough blows."

No single player symbolises Ivory Coast's remarkable turnaround to reach this weekend's Africa Cup of Nations final quite like striker Sebastien Haller.

Ivory Coast coach Emerse Fae described his team's achievement in winning through to the final of the Africa Cup of Nations as being "like a dream" after the tournament hosts beat the Democratic Republic of Congo 1-0 in Wednesday's last-four encounter.

"We are responsible," Diawara said of the most recent disaster.

Many of the biggest stars at this year's Africa Cup of Nations have already been eliminated before the quarter-finals, but the continent's reigning player of the year Victor Osimhen is still standing as he aims to lead Nigeria to the title.

While Bangladesh remain in the backwaters of international football, Yahya and his federation has transformed Mauritania’s football

Defending champions Senegal beat Guinea 2-0 in the other Group C match

Egypt coach Rui Vitoria on Monday confirmed that the hamstring injury suffered by captain Mohamed Salah at the Africa Cup of Nations would require a longer recovery period than first suggested as the forward prepares to return to Liverpool to undergo treatment.

The Liverpool striker went off late in the first half of the Group B game in Abidjan after appearing to clutch the back of his left leg.