CAN 2025: all players named Man of the Match (CAF) on matchday 1

CAN 2025 – Men of the match: the complete list from matchday 1

AFCON 25 December 2025 at 10:00

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CAN 2025: all players named Man of the Match (CAF) on matchday 1

After an opening matchday that largely lived up to expectations, the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco saw no major upsets. The tournament favorites imposed their authority, from Egypt and Senegal to Algeria and Morocco. As is customary, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) named its Men of the Match for each game, shining a spotlight on the standout performers who set the tone for the competition. The list features established stars as well as a few emerging talents.

Here are all the players named Man of the Match (CAF) on matchday 1:

Morocco 2–0 Comoros: Brahim Díaz (Morocco)
Mali 1–1 Zambia: Lassine Sinayoko (Mali)
South Africa 2–1 Angola: Lyle Foster (South Africa)
Egypt 2–1 Zimbabwe: Omar Marmoush (Egypt)
DR Congo 1–0 Benin: Théo Bongonda (DR Congo)
Senegal 3–0 Botswana: Nicolas Jackson (Senegal)
Nigeria 2–1 Tanzania: Semi Ajayi (Nigeria)
Tunisia 3–1 Uganda: Elias Achouri (Tunisia)
Burkina Faso 2–1 Equatorial Guinea: Edmond Tapsoba (Burkina Faso)
Algeria 3–0 Sudan: Riyad Mahrez (Algeria)
Ivory Coast 1–0 Mozambique: Amad Diallo (Ivory Coast)
Cameroon 1–0 Gabon: Bryan Mbeumo (Cameroon)

The fixtures for the second matchday already promise to be decisive: outsiders will need to respond, while the heavyweights look to reinforce their status.