Host nation Ivory Coast suffered a humiliating 4-0 defeat against Equatorial Guinea in their Africa Cup of Nations match, putting their hopes of advancing to the knockout stages in jeopardy.
The visitors’ dominant performance, which included a brace from Emilio Nsue, a stunning 25-yard free-kick from Pablo Ganet, and a late goal from Yannick Buyla, earned them a convincing victory and top spot in Group A.
The Ivorians, who were expected to dominate the match, struggled to find their footing throughout the game, squandering several scoring opportunities and ultimately falling victim to their opponents’ superior finishing.
Despite Ibrahim Sangare’s efforts to rescue his team with two potential equalizers, both of which were controversially disallowed, the Elephants were unable to overcome their poor performance and were roundly booed by the home crowd at the final whistle.
Fans of Ivory Coast storming out of the stadium before the final whistle.#AFCON2023 pic.twitter.com/mLSzSyn8Zo
— #3Sports (@3SportsGh) January 22, 2024
With their fate no longer in their own hands, Ivory Coast must now anxiously await the outcome of other matches to determine if they will advance to the round of 16 as one of the best third-placed teams. The embarrassing loss has cast doubt on the team’s ability to make a deep run in the tournament and has left many questioning their preparation and strategy.
Also on Monday, Nigeria secured their spot in the last 16 with a narrow 1-0 victory over Guinea-Bissau.
The deciding goal came in the 39th minute when Opa Sangante accidentally deflected a Moses Simon cross into his own net.
The second half saw both teams create chances, but neither could find the back of the net. Nigeria thought they had scored a second goal, but Victor Osimhen’s effort was ruled out for handball. Guinea-Bissau also had a goal disallowed for offside.
Finishing second in Group A behind Equatorial Guinea, Nigeria will now face the second-placed team from Group C in the last 16. That match is scheduled for Saturday, with Senegal, Guinea, or Cameroon potentially standing in their way.