2023 AFCON: Ivory Coast Eliminates Defending Champions Senegal in Penalty Shootout

 2023 AFCON: Ivory Coast Eliminates Defending Champions Senegal in Penalty Shootout

In a surprising turn of events at the ongoing 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), Ivory Coast, the tournament hosts, secured a remarkable victory by knocking out the reigning champions, Senegal, in a thrilling penalty shootout.

Despite a challenging group stage performance with two losses and one win, Ivory Coast, qualifying for the round of 16 as one of the four best third-placed teams, demonstrated resilience against the formidable Senegal.

While Senegal entered the match as the 2021 AFCON winners and finished the group stage with a flawless 9 points, including victories over Cameroon, Guinea, and Gambia, Ivory Coast faced a setback with a 4-0 defeat against Equatorial Guinea in their final group stage game.

However, the Ivorian team displayed a rejuvenated spirit at the Stade Charles Konan Banny de Yamoussoukro on Monday, January 29. Despite Senegal taking an early lead with Habib Diallo's fourth-minute strike, Ivory Coast managed to equalize in the 86th minute through a penalty executed by Franck Kessié.

The regulation time and extra time witnessed no further goals, leading to a decisive penalty shootout. Both teams converted all their penalties except for 27-year-old Nottingham Forest defender, Moussa Niakhaté, whose miss handed the victory to Ivory Coast with a 4-5 score in penalties.

Ivory Coast's triumph sets the stage for an exciting quarter-final match against the winner of the clash between Mali and Burkina Faso, scheduled for 6 p.m. on February 3, 2024. Stay tuned for the thrilling encounter! ⚽️🏆