The Gabonese government has suspended its entire national football team, the Gabon Panthers, following their winless exit from the Africa Cup of Nations. Coach Thierry Mouyouma was dismissed, and key players including captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and defender Bruno Ecuele Manga were excluded from the team.

• The Gabon Panthers were eliminated from the AFCON after defeats against Cameroon and Mozambique.
• Acting Sports Minister Simplice-Desire Mamboula announced the dissolution of the coaching staff and the team suspension on national television.
• The team concluded their campaign with a 3-2 loss to Ivory Coast after initially leading 2-0.

Sudan will face 2022 champions Senegal in the Africa Cup of Nations Last 16 after losing 2-0 to Burkina Faso in their final group game. Despite the defeat, Sudan advanced as one of the best third-placed sides, a major achievement for the war-torn country. Meanwhile, Algeria maintained a perfect record, beating Equatorial Guinea 3-1.

• Burkina Faso secured their win with goals from Lassina Traore and Arsene Kouassi, while Sudan's Algozoli Nooh missed a penalty.
• Sudan has won just two of 19 matches across six Cup of Nations appearances since lifting the trophy in 1970.
• Algeria will face the Democratic Republic of Congo in the Last 16, after goals from Zineddine Belaid, Fares Chaibi, and Ibrahim Maza sealed their group stage dominance.

Defending champions Ivory Coast staged a dramatic comeback, overcoming a two-goal deficit to defeat Gabon 3-2 and secure top spot in AFCON Group F. Their victory came in Marrakesh on Wednesday, as rivals Cameroon also won their match.

• Substitute Bazoumana Touré scored the winning goal in stoppage time, sealing the 3-2 victory for Ivory Coast.
• Ivory Coast finished level on seven points with Cameroon, but claimed first place by scoring five goals in the group, one more than Cameroon.
• The results set up Round of 16 clashes: Ivory Coast vs. Burkina Faso, Cameroon vs. South Africa, and Mozambique vs. Nigeria.