Updated at 22.54

GHANA ARE facing elimination from the Africa Cup of Nations after conceding twice in added time to draw 2-2 with Mozambique in their final Group B game on Monday.

Crystal Palace winger Jordan Ayew converted penalties in each half and the Black Stars appeared to be cruising to victory with a two-goal lead as the clock passed 90 minutes.

Cape Verde, who had already qualified as group winners, and Egypt drew 2-2 in the other Group B match, which would have put Ghana through with a win.

But goals from Geny Catamo, with the third penalty of the game, and Reinildo Mandava gave Mozambique a point and left four-time champions Ghana on the cusp of a second straight AFCON group-stage exit.

With just two points, four-time champions Ghana will need an unlikely series of results in the four remaining groups to qualify as one of the four best third-placed teams.

Ghana’s exit will be confirmed on Tuesday if Gambia and Cameroon fail to draw in Group C.

The anxiety on the face of Ghana coach Chris Hughton prior to kick-off was understandable.

A 2026 World Cup qualifying loss to minnows the Comoros last November had heightened calls for the dismissal of the ex-Newcastle United and Brighton and Hove Albion boss.

Losing their opening group match in the Ivory Coast to lower-ranked Cape Verde only added to the pressure on the 65-year-old in his first Cup of Nations.

A draw with record seven-time champions Egypt after leading twice raised hopes that the Black Stars could still progress.

Hughton and his team knew that, at worst, victory over Mozambique would secure third place and probable qualification for the knockout stage.

Those hopes grew stronger after 15 minutes when Palace’s Ayew calmly converted a penalty awarded for a foul on Joseph Paintsil by Nanani.

Ghana suffered a blow on 37 minutes when injured midfielder Majeed Ashimeru was carried off on a stretcher with Iddrisu Baba taking his place.

Hughton also introduced veteran Andre Ayew, older brother of Jordan, before half-time with Paintsil benched.

Realising only a first win in 15 matches spanning five editions would avoid elimination, Mozambique attacked consistently in the second half, but without reward initially.

Midway through the second half the Mambas conceded a second penalty, this time when Atletico Madrid full-back Reinildo handled.

After lengthy protests, Jordan Ayew once again calmly stroked the ball into the net past goalkeeper Ivane Urrubal. Then came the dramatic Mozambican comeback through Catamo and Reinildo.

Meanwhile, Mohamed Salah was in the stands to watch Egypt scrape into the last 16.

The striker stayed on to watch his countrymen in their crucial final Group B match before flying back to Liverpool for treatment on a muscle injury.

He will have feared the worst with the Pharaohs staring at an early exit after falling behind to a goal from Gilson Tavares for the surprise group winners.

But substitute Trezeguet hauled them level and Mostafa Mohamed fired them ahead at the start of stoppage time.

The Blue Sharks then rocked Egypt by equalising through Bryan Teixeira, but Ghana being pegged back 2-2 by Mozambique meant the Pharaohs clung on to second place.

With Cape Verde having already topped the group, Egypt were hoping they might not play with the same intensity that brought them two wins out of two.

Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha saved from Mohamed and Omar Marmoush while Zizo fired narrowly wide.

But in first-half stoppage time and with Cape Verde’s first real opportunity, the surprise package took the lead.

Ryan Mendes headed the ball into the path of Tavares, who turned sharply before crashing his shot low into the net.

Trezeguet should have equalised moments after coming on as a half-time substitute but he blazed his shot over the crossbar.

But the Trabzonspor midfielder made his mark three minutes later when he played a brilliant one-two with Ahmed Hegazy before lashing an angled shot past Vozinha.

Trezeguet almost immediately put Egypt ahead but drilled his shot across Vozinha and wide.

Mohamed had a golden chance from Trezeguet’s cross but agonisingly lifted his effort over the top.

But two minutes into stoppage time Mohamed chased on to a ball over the top and lifted it over Vozinha.

A dramatic victory seemed to have been secured but there was still time for Teixeira to fire an equaliser in the ninth minute of added time, although somehow Egypt could still celebrate qualification in the most nail-biting circumstances.

Ivory Coast's Franck Kessie, left, comforts his teammate Simon Adingra, after losing the African Cup of Nations Group A soccer match. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

Earlier, Ivory Coast slipped to the brink of a humiliating exit from the Africa Cup of Nations as the hosts suffered a 4-0 thrashing by Equatorial Guinea in their final Group A game in Abidjan on Monday.

Emilio Nsue scored a double to follow up his hat-trick against Guinea-Bissau as Equatorial Guinea finished top of the group ahead of Nigeria on goal difference.

Nigeria saw off Guinea-Bissau 1-0 in the group’s other game.

Ivory Coast have only failed to get out of the group phase once in the previous nine editions of the tournament, in 2017.

The two-time champions will have to endure a nervy wait to find out if they will go through to the last 16 as one of the four best third-placed sides.

Jean-Louis Gasset’s men need a series of results to go in their favour to avoid sliding out of the competition, after suffering their heaviest-ever home defeat.

Thousands of Ivory Coast supporters filed out of the stadium late on as Equatorial Guinea scored three goals in 15 minutes to embarrass their opponents.

The Ivorians started brightly but struggled to create any clear-cut chances, with Oumar Diakite’s wild effort off target after a poor punch by Equatorial Guinea goalkeeper Jesus Owono their best opportunity in the opening 25 minutes.

Nicolas Pepe appeared to be fouled in the box on the half-hour mark, but the winger decided to stay on his feet and a penalty was not given despite Owono coming out to gather the ball.

Equatorial Guinea grabbed a surprise lead with their first real attack shortly before half-time.

Right-back Carlos Akapo weaved his way past a couple of weak challenges and into the area before squaring for Nsue to divert the ball into the bottom corner.

Ibrahim Sangare briefly thought he had equalised in first-half injury time, but VAR quickly ruled the goal out for a clear offside against the Ivory Coast midfielder.

Sangare wasted an excellent chance less than two minutes after the restart, ballooning the ball high over the bar from close range with only Owono to beat at the back post.

Fiorentina forward Christian Kouame also failed to draw the home side level when face to face with Owono, firing his shot straight at the ‘keeper.

Ivory Coast were again denied an equaliser in the 67th minute by VAR for offside after Jean-Philippe Krasso slotted home left-footed.

The underdogs made the Ivorians pay for their profligacy six minutes later, as Pablo Ganet curled a wonderful free-kick into the top corner.

That goal prompted many of the fans in the Alassane Ouattara Stadium to vacate the stands, and the ones who remained were left stunned when Nsue tucked away his fifth goal of the tournament after a quick counter-attack.

Ivory Coast’s goal difference, which could prove crucial in the fight for qualification, took another dent with two minutes of normal time remaining, as Jannick Buyla bobbled a shot into the corner from a rebound.

Equatorial Guinea should have rubbed further salt into their opponents’ wounds in added time, but Luis Asue’s mishit strike with the goal gaping could not take the gloss off a famous victory.

– © AFP 2024

Additional reporting by Press Association