AFCON 2025: Top Goalscorers After Opening Group Matches

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Algeria captain Riyad Mahrez has moved to the top of the scoring charts at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco following an entertaining first round of group-stage fixtures that concluded on Wednesday.

Mahrez found the net twice as Algeria cruised to a dominant 3-0 win over Sudan, placing him level at the summit of the tournament’s goalscorers’ list alongside Senegal striker Nicolas Jackson and Tunisia forward Elias Achouri.

Jackson also scored a brace in Senegal’s emphatic victory over Botswana, while Achouri delivered a similar performance in Tunisia’s win against Uganda, ensuring all three attackers sit joint-top after the opening round.

Just behind the leading trio, several high-profile players have already registered their names on the scoresheet. Nigeria’s Semi Ajayi and Ademola Lookman opened their AFCON 2025 accounts, while Egypt’s Mohamed Salah, South Africa’s Lyle Foster, Ivory Coast winger Amad Diallo, and Equatorial Guinea’s Marvin Anieboh also struck early in the competition.

Wednesday’s matches added more excitement to the tournament. Defending champions Ivory Coast edged past Mozambique 1-0 in Group F, with Diallo delivering the decisive goal. Cameroon also secured a narrow victory in the same group, defeating Gabon 1-0 thanks to Etta Eyong’s first-half effort.

In Group E, Algeria’s dominant display was matched by Burkina Faso, who claimed a hard-fought 2-1 win over Equatorial Guinea to sit second in the standings behind the Desert Foxes.

The tournament takes a brief break on Thursday, Christmas Day, with no matches scheduled.

AFCON action resumes on Friday, Boxing Day, with Angola set to face Zimbabwe earlier in the day, followed by a highly anticipated clash between Egypt and South Africa in the evening.

Zambia will also lock horns with Comoros, while tournament hosts Morocco round off the day with a late-night showdown against Mali.