Published on January 14, 2024 Reading: 2 minutes.
Ivory Coast, the host country under pressure in this first meeting of the competition, ideally launched into this CAN 2024 2-0 against Guinea-Bissau in the opening match of the African Cup of Nations, Saturday evening in Abidjan.
The objective was not to miss their entry into the competition, especially at home, and the Elephants of French coach Jean-Louis Gasset thus reassured their supporters, who only had to wait four minutes before celebrating the opening of the score.
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Seko Fofana quickly relieves the Ivorians
The first explosion of joy in the Ebimpé stadium came from a feat by Seko Fofana, who scored the first goal of the competition with a beautiful curling shot after resisting the marking of two opposing players.
To read: CAN: Ivory Coast-Guinea-Bissau, be careful when walking
A thunderous start for the Ivorians, dressed all in orange, against an opponent who had never won a single African Cup match.
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Fofana, who plays for the Saudi club Al-Nassr alongside Cristiano Ronaldo, almost scored twice in the 35th minute, but his shot from the edge of the area was deflected with the tips of his gloves onto the bar cross by goalkeeper Ouparine Djoco.
While the match had slowed down, with a rather sterile domination of the Ivorians, Jean-Philippe Krasso relieved his team by doubling the score with a nice personal exploit in the heart of the opponent’s area, in the 56th minute. Receiving a cross from Jonathan Bamba, the Red Star Belgrade striker outplayed two opponents on two aerial controls before scoring with a left-footed pivot.
To read: In Côte d’Ivoire, a CAN open and raised like never before the rest after this advertisement
A victory far from perfect
A first success in suffering, despite what the scoreboard suggests, but which will take a lot of weight off the shoulders of the Ivorians in this CAN 2024.
Guinea-Bissau did not stand out in the match, and even posed the danger several times in front of Yahia Fofana’s goal, notably through the actions of Lyon striker Mama Baldé, who however came off injured in the 85th minute. .
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The Elephants will have to confirm in their next match, where they will face Nigeria next Thursday.
(With AFP)
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2024-01-14 01:20:21
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