Africa football titan Senegal has found themselves on the misfortune side as their dignity was injured by AFCON 2023 hosts Ivory Coast in an epic match held at Yomoussoukro stadium.
The reigning Champions Senegal as usual took a short time after the kick-off to show their unwavering skills in the field with Habib Diallo giving the Teranga Lions a first-goal lead in the 4th minute following Sadio Mane’s cross.
Ivory Coast makes it to AFCON 2023 quarter-finals
Despite the Elephants conceding an early goal, they gradually grew into the game and kept the ball on their feet, something which made them control the first half of the play with players like Seko Fofana and Oumar Diakite displaying a good show.
Aliou Cisse’s side started the second half of the play in a goal-hungry way with Sarr nearly giving the defending Champions a second after he was brought down by Odilon Kossounou in the box but following Video assistant referee (VAR) intervention, a penalty was awarded.
The Elephants interim coach Emerse Fae made the first three changes with players like Sebastien Haller and Frank Kessie brought into the game just a few minutes before Nicolas Pepe was brought too, a substitute which had a positive impact.
The former Arsenal player, Pepe was brought down by Senagal’s goalkeeper Mendy, an incident which earned the hosts a penalty even though the referee earlier took a stance of not giving a spot kick before VAR intervened.
Kessie scored the awarded penalty to level the score and sent all Ivory Coast fans into a cheerful moment after Mendy failed to save the back.
AFCON 2023 penalty round
After playing all 90 minutes, the busy continued in the extra time with the host players Simon Adingra who is playing for Brighton and Nottingham Forest’s Serge Aurier missing a tap-in.
No team emerged victorious in this episode forcing the winner to be found in the penalty shootout.
Former Chelsea players Kolidou Koulibaly and Pape Matar Sarr beautifully scored from the spot kick with the Elephants Nicola Pepe and Christian Kouame leveling the scores.
The defending Champions’ bad luck deliberately started when Mousa Niakhate missed the target. The hosts Serge Aurier and Sebastien Haller converted theirs, Sadio mane scored for the reigning Champions but Frank Kessie’s sensational penalty take was enough to see the Elephants securing the quarter-finals slot.
Discussion about this post