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Yaounde. — Sierra Leone scored a dramatic injury-time equaliser to grab a 2-2 draw against Ivory Coast at the Africa Cup of Nations in Douala.
The Elephants had been coasting but an astonishing mistake from Badra Sangare allowed Alhadji Kamara to tap in.
Keeper Sangare fumbled a back-header and could only watch helplessly as Kamara secured a second successive draw for the Leone Stars in Group E.
It means they have every hope of going through to the last 16.
Sierra Leone have two points from two games, while the Ivorians top the group with four points to their name.
However, the Elephants still have work to do when they face defending champions Algeria on Thursday.
Both sides played their part in an enthralling match, which saw Ivory Coast miss an early penalty but then lead twice before Sierra Leone hit back.
Meanwhile, Musa Barrow scored a late penalty to give The Gambia a deserved 1-1 draw against Mali in Group F of the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations, Cameroon 2021.
The Bologna striker kept his cool to calmly tuck away from 12 yards sending the keeper the wrong way to cancel Ibrahima Kone’s earlier penalty for Mali. Substitute Ebrima Colley won the penalty when his pass was handled in the area.
The Scorpions twice hit the Mali post from set piece through Ablie Jallow and Musa Barrow while goalkeeper Modou Jobe pulled a great save to deny Mali’s Adama Traore.
Kone gave the Eagles the lead from a penalty 15 minutes from time after Ebou Adams was adjudged to have fouled a Malian attacker.
The towering striker slotted in his second goal of the tournament to give Mali the lead having seen most of the ball against the disciplined Scorpions.
The Eagles started brightly at the Limbé Omnisports Stadium playing through the wide areas profiting from Moussa Djenepo and Adama Traore’s speed.
Adama Traore found space on the right channel before crossing deep into the Scorpions area but Djenepo failed to make contact.
In Limbe, Tunisia bounced back from their controversial opening defeat at the Africa Cup of Nations by brushing aside Mauritania 4-0 in Group F.
Hamza Mathlouthi drove in a half volley in the fourth minute and Wahbi Khazri slotted in a second four minutes later.
Khazri got his second after the break and Seifeddine Jaziri added the fourth.
Tunisia had lost their first game 1-0 to Mali — a match which was ended 13 seconds early — but their protests were dismissed by tournament organisers.
Youssef Msakni, who came off the bench to feature at his seventh Nations Cup after recovering from coronavirus, missed a late penalty for the 2004 champions, pulling his effort against the left-hand upright.
The Carthage Eagles are just the second team to score four goals in a game at this year’s Nations Cup, after hosts Cameroon, and victory puts them a point behind The Gambia and Mali.
Tunisia face the Gambians in their final group match on Friday, while back-to-back defeats mean Mauritania can no longer reach the last 16. — BBc.com.
Online Reporter