Ivory Coast commenced its Africa Cup of Nations title defense with a hard-fought victory, while Algeria also began its campaign on a high note. Zinedine Zidane, the iconic French footballer, witnessed his son Luca's adept goalkeeping performance for Algeria.
Algeria's Riyad Mahrez was instrumental, scoring twice as the team defeated a 10-man Sudan squad 3-0. Young talent Ibrahim Maza added to the tally in what was his first international goal, solidifying Algeria's position at the top of Group E.
Meanwhile, Ivory Coast secured a 1-0 win against Mozambique. Amad Diallo's second-half goal was enough for the defending champions, despite missing multiple chances in a game overshadowed by inclement weather conditions.