CAN 2021: Côte d'Ivoire, carried by Aurier, eliminates Niger and validates its qualification
Ivorians Max-Alain Gradel and Serge Aurier, January 28, 2015. AP - Sunday Alamba
Text by: Nicolas Bamba Follow
3 min
Côte d'Ivoire will play well in the 24th CAN in its history.
Thanks to Serge Aurier first scorer, then decisive passer twice, the Elephants left no chance for Niger (3-0), beaten this Friday, March 26.
Before their last match in these qualifiers, Patrice Beaumelle and his men are sure to finish in one of the first two places in Group K.
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The Elephants will be at the rendezvous in the land of the Indomitable Lions.
Côte d'Ivoire has its ticket for CAN 2021, scheduled from January 15 to February 28, 2022 in Cameroon.
The Ivorians brilliantly obtained their qualification this Friday, March 26.
They will not have to go through a last tense match on March 30 against Ethiopia.
Their impeccable performance today against Niger was enough.
Aurier in all the right moves
Although deprived of several important men such as Sébastien Haller, Maxwel Cornet or Gervinho, the selection led by Patrice Beaumelle did not let the suspense settle in Lomé (Togo) at the Kégué stadium, theater of this match of the 5th and penultimate day of the group K qualifiers, against Niger.
After a start to the match without relief, the Ivory Coast carried the blow as soon as it had the opportunity.
On a corner, the ball reached Eric Bailly, whose strike was repelled by Kassaly Daouda.
But Ivorian captain Serge Aurier followed well behind and catapulted the ball into the net (25th).
The Tottenham side then turned into a decisive passer for Max-Alain Gradel, alone at the far post to regain strength (34th).
At the break, Côte d'Ivoire was off to a good start.
No stressful final match against Ethiopia
In the second half, there was no more suspense.
Niger, the last of the K group, did not see the light of day.
And Serge Aurier offered himself another decisive pass, from a free kick.
His cross found the winning header of Wilfried Kanon (60th).
Nigeriens have not recovered.
It was not until the 78th minute to see the Mena unleash his first strike, without danger.
Too little, far too little to hope for a better outcome.
With 3 points on the clock, Niger is eliminated before the last day of the qualifiers.
Côte d'Ivoire, with its 10 units, is qualified for CAN 2021. Ethiopia follows with 9 points, and Madagascar is third with 7 points.
But even if Ethiopia and Madagascar won their last match, the Ivorians would still be ahead of Barea thanks to their results in their direct confrontations (2-1 victory for the Elephants, then a 1-1 draw).
The Côte d'Ivoire-Ethiopia on March 30 will therefore be used above all to determine whether the Ivorians will finish first or second.
The Malagasy, them, will hope for a positive result to comb the Ethiopians on the wire.
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CAN 2021
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