Angola clinched a spot in the Round of 16 at the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Cote d’Ivoire 2023 with a hard-fought 2-0 victory over Burkina Faso.

The Group D match, held at Yamoussoukro’s Charles Konan Banny Stadium, featured goals from Cristovao “Mabululu” Paciencia and Ambrosini “Zini” Salvador.

In a contest where both teams aimed to secure a group-leading position for an extended rest period ahead of the knockout stage, Angola took the lead in the 36th minute.

Mabululu, a constant threat, headed home to give Angola the crucial advantage.

Despite Burkina Faso's efforts to break the resilient Angolan defense in the second half, they were unable to find the back of the net.

The victory for Angola was sealed in the final moments when Zini capitalized on a rebound from a powerful shot to slot home, securing a 2-0 win.

With this triumph, Angola not only advances to the Round of 16 but also secures a place as one of the group leaders. Burkina Faso, despite the loss, also gains automatic entry into the next phase.

Additionally, Mauritania's historic win over Algeria places them among the best third-place finishers, marking their first-ever TotalEnergies CAF AFCON victory and securing a spot in the knockout stage.