Cote D’Ivoire bundled out Senegal from 2023 AFCON following a dramatic round 16 clash on Monday, January 29, LCSoccerHub Reports.
It was a rollercoaster as the two sides go head-to-head in the cracker to determine who qualify for the last eight of the tournament.
Senegal, who won the tournament in 2021, whistled off to a stellar start to their AFCON campaign, winning all their group matches to emerge the best team in the group stages.
Ivory Coast, on the other hand, relied on luck to sneak into the knockout after managing just 3 points in Group A and settling for a bizarre 4-0 defeat to Equatorial Guinea in their last group game.
In their last two games, the Elephants fired blank, hence coming on against a free-scoring Senegalese side, who netted 9 times in the group stages, was a tough test for the hosts.
Senegal got off the mark in the 4th minute of the game. Diallo opened the scoring for the Teranga Lions to put the defending champions in front. Going down early by a lone goal, the Elephants battled to stage a comeback but could not find the leveler as Senegal ended the first half with the lead.
Edging on the brink of exiting the tournament, Ivory Coast doubled efforts to find an equaliser but had to wait until the 86th minute when Franck Kessie score via spotkick to make it 1-1. With five minutes left on the clock, things went nervy as both sides made late push for a winner all to no avail.
The game went into extra time but it was still goalless as both sides could not find the back, hence taking the rivalry to penalties.
Senegal scored four penalties with Niakhate missing the third spotkick. Conversely, Ivory Coast converted all their penalties to win the match and qualify for the quarter-final of the competition.
