2023 AFCON opened with a thriller as tournament hosts Ivory Coast battled it out with Guinea-Bissau in a six-pointer clash.
Backed by roaring home fans at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium, the Elephants got off to a fiery start, pressing hard to take the lead. Guinea-Bissau responded to the pressure by committing more bodies to the defense while hoping to catch the hosts on the counter.
Four minutes into the game, Kessie set up Seko Fofana and the Ivorien finished it clinically to give Ivory Coast a deserved lead.
Guinea-Bissau started coming out from the back after trailing by a lone. They made attempts upfront but could not ruffle the Elephant's backline.
Despite taking the lead, Ivory Coast still dominated proceedings and were looking set to double the lead. They missed a slew of clearcut chances. Guinea-Bissau also came across few chances that would have seen them level the scores but failed to make it count.
The first half ended with Ivory Coast taking the narrow lead into the break. Nothing changed in the second half of the game as the hosts picked up from where they stopped.
They dominated proceedings and explored possible loopholes in the opponents' defense to secure the win. There was no breakthrough until the 63rd minute when 26-year-old German-born forward Jean-Philipe Krasso nailed home the Elephants' second.
After Krasso's goal, the game took an electric pace as Guinea-Bissau ramped up attempts to find a consolation and possibly settle for a draw. Committing more bodies forward, the Djurtus began to match the hosts' pace, attack, and possession. They made headway in the attack but could not pose a formidable threat close to the final third.
Meanwhile, Ivory Coast tried to make out from Guinea-Bissau's loose defending to hurl in the third goal through counterattacks but they could not add to the tally.
It was dragging towards the end of the game with both sides running out of chances. The two teams made late substitutions but it was not enough to lit the game again.
With a few minutes left to play, Guinea-Bissau pushed harder for a consolation but could not reduce the deficit as the hosts held on to preserve the 2-0 lead.
The game ended with Ivory Coast breezing to an emphatic victory to bag all three points.
WATCH HIGHLIGHTS BELOW
Backed by roaring home fans at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium, the Elephants got off to a fiery start, pressing hard to take the lead. Guinea-Bissau responded to the pressure by committing more bodies to the defense while hoping to catch the hosts on the counter.
Four minutes into the game, Kessie set up Seko Fofana and the Ivorien finished it clinically to give Ivory Coast a deserved lead.
Guinea-Bissau started coming out from the back after trailing by a lone. They made attempts upfront but could not ruffle the Elephant's backline.
Despite taking the lead, Ivory Coast still dominated proceedings and were looking set to double the lead. They missed a slew of clearcut chances. Guinea-Bissau also came across few chances that would have seen them level the scores but failed to make it count.
The first half ended with Ivory Coast taking the narrow lead into the break. Nothing changed in the second half of the game as the hosts picked up from where they stopped.
They dominated proceedings and explored possible loopholes in the opponents' defense to secure the win. There was no breakthrough until the 63rd minute when 26-year-old German-born forward Jean-Philipe Krasso nailed home the Elephants' second.
After Krasso's goal, the game took an electric pace as Guinea-Bissau ramped up attempts to find a consolation and possibly settle for a draw. Committing more bodies forward, the Djurtus began to match the hosts' pace, attack, and possession. They made headway in the attack but could not pose a formidable threat close to the final third.
Meanwhile, Ivory Coast tried to make out from Guinea-Bissau's loose defending to hurl in the third goal through counterattacks but they could not add to the tally.
It was dragging towards the end of the game with both sides running out of chances. The two teams made late substitutions but it was not enough to lit the game again.
With a few minutes left to play, Guinea-Bissau pushed harder for a consolation but could not reduce the deficit as the hosts held on to preserve the 2-0 lead.
The game ended with Ivory Coast breezing to an emphatic victory to bag all three points.
WATCH HIGHLIGHTS BELOW
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