Humiliated by Equatorial Guinea, Ivory Coast in waiver position for the 8th

Highlights: Humiliated by Equatorial Guinea, Ivory Coast in waiver position for the 8th. The Nzalang humiliated the Elephants who were far too clumsy in front of goal by inflicting a correction 4 to 0. The Ivorians will have to wait for the results of the 5 other groups to know if they reach the round of 16 or if history repeats itself with an elimination at home in the first round. Despite the encouragement of its public, Côte d'Ivoire seems destined to take advantage of all its opportunities.

Ivory Coast's decisive match against Equatorial Guinea turned into an ordeal. The Nzalang humiliated the Elephants who were far too clumsy in front of goal by inflicting a correction 4 to 0. Third…

Had the ghosts of 1984 invaded the Ébimpé stadium this Monday, January 22?

Ivory Coast looked helpless against Equatorial Guinea and were humiliated in front of their home crowd, defeated 4-0, with two goals disallowed against them.

Their opponent finishes first in group A while Nigeria, winner at the same time of Guinea-Bissau (1-0) is their runner-up.

The Ivorians will have to wait for the results of the 5 other groups to know if they reach the round of 16 or if history repeats itself with an elimination at home in the first round.

Read alsoThe final ranking of Group A

As this match begins, the Elephants are under pressure.

President Alassane Ouattara himself called for sacred union: "Go Elephants! The whole country is behind you", wrote the head of state on X.

Go Elephants!

The whole country is behind you! #CAN2023 pic.twitter.com/6XJO2GFK2e

— Alassane Ouattara (@AOuattara_PRCI) January 22, 2024

In the stands, the leader's message is heard.

The more matches go by, the more Ivorian supporters respond to encourage their players.

A tifo is deployed in one of the corners in a perfect manner, making us forget the failure of the match against Nigeria.

And new, they whistle as soon as Equatorial Guinea has the ball.

Clumsy Elephants

Galvanized, the Elephants responded and started the match with flying colors.

They invade the territory of the Equatoguineans, instantly putting their heads under water.

Nicolas Pépé is untenable on his right side but lacks precision when making the last pass (13th, 17th). Equatorial Guinea is confined at home.

On a cross from Konan, the Nzalang Ngua goalkeeper punches the ball which falls directly into the feet of Diakité.

The Ivorian confuses speed and haste and sends the ball over (26th).

Then, it was Nicolas Pépé's turn to come close to opening the scoring.

The 2019 Marc-Vivien Foé Prize takes advantage of Kouamé's back-to-goal work to take the ball away.

The former Angevin resists the defender's charge and the temptation to claim the penalty, eliminates the goalkeeper but does not straighten the ball towards the nets (28th).

Against the flow of play, Nsué finds the fault

The Elephants think they are in control of the game but Nzalang strikes when they least expect it.

Just before half-time, on their first foray, Carlos Akapo performed a little number in the defense and found his captain Nsué who took the opportunity to score his fourth of the competition (42nd, 1-0).

The Oranges are on the edge of the precipice, especially since Nigeria opened the scoring almost in the same minute in the other match...

But the Ivorians are not stunned.

They attack again.

Sangaré takes advantage of a header from Kouamé following a cross from Pépé to score.

But VAR deprives them of the joy of the equalizer revealing an offside.

When it doesn't want...

How to come back from this double disillusionment just before half-time?

Not by sending a cannonball into the stands without hitting the target like Sangaré does (46th).

Nor by offering a free kick to Saul Coco who almost deceives Yahia Fofana (53rd).

Two goals disallowed

Despite the encouragement of its public, Côte d'Ivoire seems destined to take advantage of all its opportunities.

Like Kouamé, alone against Ngua, who still comes up against the goalkeeper (60th).

Coach Jean-Louis Gasset is forced to try everything and makes a triple change.

Three attackers, Konaté, Krasso and Boga, enter the field.

And it works !

Krasso finds the loophole.

Before a new offside is signaled (66th).

When it doesn't work, well...

In the process, Equatorial Guinea obtains an interesting free kick.

Pablo Ganet takes his time and cleans the top corner of Yahia Fofana (73rd, 2-0).

Then on a counterattack, Nsué added more (75th, 3-0).

When it doesn't want to, ter...

Equatorial Guinea 🇬🇶 doubles the bet, the Alassane Ouatara stadium in a state of incredible astonishment, the public begins to leave the stadium.

It is the ultimate humiliation.

A nightmarish evening for download. #AFCON2023 #CAN2023 #AfconwithLassana pic.twitter.com/JWnfV8WnjS

— Lassana Camara (@mauritaniefoot) January 22, 2024

Ivory Coast is humiliated.

Spectators begin to leave the stands while those remaining begin to boo the players.

The Ivorians are preparing to live the longest 20 minutes of their existence.

The ordeal ends without Côte d'Ivoire even reducing the score.

Worse Jannick Buyla Sam finishes off the Elephants just before stoppage time (88th, 4-0).

The referee extends the ordeal for seven minutes, fortunately without additional goals.

The spectators have heavy hearts: they don't know this evening if it was their team's last match in the competition.

Indeed, their fate now depends on the results of the other groups to find out if they will be drafted as the best third.

If this is not the case, they would become the first host country to miss out in the first round since the expansion of the CAN to 24 teams in 2019. A real humiliation.

Humiliated by Equatorial Guinea, Ivory Coast in waiver position for the 8th

Clumsy Elephants

Against the flow of play, Nsué finds the fault

Two goals disallowed

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