Saturday, February 3, 2024 ((rezonodwes.com))–In a captivating spectacle that reached its climax at the end of extra time, Ivory Coast toppled Mali to clinch their place in the semi-finals of the Coupe d’Ivoire. Africa of Nations (CAN) with a 2-1 victory after extra time this Saturday.
The improbable scenario saw the Ivorians, reduced to ten men in the 44th minute following the expulsion of Odilon Kossounou and led since the 71st minute by Dorgeles Nene’s goal, complete a memorable turnaround. Equalizing in the 90th minute through Simon Adingra, the Elephants forced the Malian Eagles into overtime, where the unexpected turned into triumph.
Supported by their public, Emerse Faé’s men hit the bar through Sébastien Haller before Oumar Diakité became the national hero by deflecting with a heel a shot from Seko Fofana in the final seconds of extra time (120th+2 ). Mali, bending under pressure, was stunned, creating a tumultuous end to the match on the pitch at the Stade de la Paix. Malian captain Hamari Traoré was given a red card for his behavior towards the referee after the final whistle.
Despite Diakité’s expulsion for taking off his jersey in the euphoria of victory, he remains confident in the team for the upcoming semi-final. Ivory Coast, having saved a penalty in the 17th minute thanks to Fofana, demonstrated impressive calm throughout the match. From miracle to miracle, the Elephants reached the last four of the CAN, under the direction of Emerse Faé, who took the reins of the team in the middle of the tournament after a nightmarish first round under Jean-Louis Gasset.
The next challenge for Ivory Coast will be a semi-final showdown against the Democratic Republic of Congo, who beat Guinea 3-1 on Friday. The country is looking forward to another breathtaking performance from its national team in this CAN 2024 full of twists and turns.
