CIV 2-0 Guinea Bissau: Elephants get off to winning start at AFCON 2023
The hosts wasted no time stamping their authority on the game, with Seko Fofana opening the scoring
The Elephants of Cote D’Ivoire romped to a comfortable 2-0 victory over Guinea-Bissau in their opening match of the 2023 AFCON tournament on Saturday at the Stade Olympique Alassane Ouattara.
The hosts wasted no time stamping their authority on the game, with Seko Fofana opening the scoring just four minutes in after a fine assist from Jean-Philippe Krasso.
The goal sent the home crowd into a frenzy, and the Elephants continued to dominate possession throughout the first half.
Guinea-Bissau, however, showed flashes of danger on the counter-attack. Moreto Cassama and Mama Balde threatened the Ivorian goal on a couple of occasions, but they were ultimately kept at bay by a solid defensive display.
The second half saw a similar pattern of play, with Ivory Coast controlling the tempo while Guinea-Bissau looked for opportunities on the break. Krasso himself nearly doubled the lead in the 49th minute, but his shot went wide.
The Elephants finally put the game to bed in the 58th minute when Krasso himself found the net, converting a clinical finish to make it 2-0.
The goal deflated any remaining hope from Guinea-Bissau, and Ivory Coast comfortably saw out the remaining minutes to secure a well-deserved victory
Though it wasn’t a perfect performance, Ivory Coast have taken an important step towards their AFCON title aspirations as they lead Group A which also houses Nigeria’s Super Eagles and Equatorial Guinea.
Electrifying opening ceremony
Before the opening game, an electrifying opening ceremony kicked off the day in thrilling style in Abidjan.
The celebration featured singers, acrobats and dancers in a vibrant showcase of Ivorian tradition and African unity.
Fireworks in the Ivorian national colours lit up the Abidjan sky at the end of the ceremony to launch Africa's biggest football party spectacularly.
