In a thrilling AFCON 2023 quarterfinal clash, Ivory Coast orchestrated a remarkable comeback to secure a 2-1 victory over Mali and book their spot in the semifinals.
The encounter was marked by controversial refereeing decisions, missed penalties, and a late equaliser that pushed the game into extra time.
Mali, eager to reach the last four for the first time since 2013, found themselves in an early controversy when Odilon Kossounou appeared to handle the ball in the box in the eighth minute.
Despite fervent penalty appeals, the referee waved play on after VAR review, sparking one of the most contentious decisions of the tournament.
However, Mali got their chance in the 16th minute when Kossounou brought down an opponent, leading to a penalty. Adama Traore, though, failed to capitalise on the opportunity as Ivory Coast’s goalkeeper Yahia Fofana made a stunning save.
The game took a turn for the worse for Ivory Coast when Kossounou received his second yellow card in the 43rd minute, reducing them to 10 men.
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In the 71st minute, Mali finally broke the deadlock with a spectacular effort from Dorgeles Nene. Born in Ivory Coast, Nene refrained from celebrating out of respect for his birthplace.
Nene Dorgeles didn’t celebrate after scoring his worldie against Ivory Coast because his parents are Ivorian. He was brought up in the JMG academy in Mali and opted to naturalise for Mali. The forward usually spends his holidays in both countries.#AFCON2023 🇲🇱🇨🇮 pic.twitter.com/vUMhF03j9Q
— Owuraku Ampofo (@_owurakuampofo) February 3, 2024
Yet, Ivory Coast defied the odds, equalising in the 90th minute through Simon Adingra’s rebound goal, forcing the game into extra time.
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In a stunning turn of events, Oumar Diakite secured the comeback with a fantastic back-heel goal in extra time, making it 2-1 in favor of Ivory Coast on the 120th-minute mark. Diakite, however, couldn’t end the game as he was shown a second yellow card for taking off his shirt during celebration.
The resilient Ivory Coast squad will now face DR Congo in the semifinals, promising another intense battle in the quest for AFCON glory.
