Ivory Coast Knock Out Senegal in Africa Cup of Nations
Read about Ivory Coast's dramatic victory over Senegal in the Round of 16 at the Africa Cup of Nations.
Ivory Coast Eliminates Senegal
In a thrilling match at the Charles Konan Banny Stadium, holders Senegal were knocked out of the Africa Cup of Nations by hosts Ivory Coast. The match ended in a 1-1 draw after regular time, leading to a penalty shootout where Ivory Coast emerged as the winners with a score of 5-4.
Senegal got off to a strong start, with Habib Diallo scoring a thunderous shot in the 4th minute after receiving a cross from Sadio Mane. However, the Ivorians fought back and equalized through Franck Kessie's penalty in the 86th minute.
The win sends Ivory Coast to the quarterfinals, where they will face the winner of the match between Mali and Burkina Faso on Saturday.
Ivory Coast's Remarkable Turnaround
Just a few days ago, Ivory Coast faced disarray after suffering a record 4-0 loss to Equatorial Guinea on home soil. They were on the verge of elimination and decided to replace coach Jean-Louis Gasset with assistant Emerse Fae. Fortunately, a series of favorable results in other matches allowed Ivory Coast to advance to the knockout stage.
Against Senegal, Ivory Coast displayed a much-improved performance. They dominated the game and had opportunities to secure victory before the penalty shootout. The hosts are relieved to have won and avoid an embarrassing early exit from their own tournament.
Striker Sebastien Haller expressed the team's emotions, saying, 'It's very emotional, the last few days were tough for us... We have opened the door and given ourselves a chance. We can forget now about what happened in the group stages.'
Penalty Drama Ends Senegal's Reign
Senegal had chances to extend their lead but were unable to convert. They felt aggrieved when Ismaila Sarr was not awarded a penalty in the second half. Their frustrations continued as Sadio Mane missed a clear opportunity to score.
Ivory Coast had their chances too, with Nicolas Pepe testing Senegal's goalkeeper Edouard Mendy. Ultimately, a VAR review awarded Ivory Coast a penalty when Pepe was fouled by Mendy in the box. Kessie converted the spot kick, leading to the penalty shootout.
In the shootout, Senegal's Moussa Niakhate hit the post with his penalty, while Ivory Coast remained composed and secured their spot in the quarterfinals.
