Hosts Côte d’Ivoire are into the semi-finals of the 2023 AFCON following another spirited performance to beat the Eagles of Mali 2-1 after extra-time at Stade de la Paix in Bouaké on Saturday night, www.aclsports.com reports.
Mali went in front through Nene Dorgeles before substitutes Simon Adingra and Oumar Diakite scored to help the Elephants reach the final four.
Cote d’Ivoire, who needed a penalty shootout to oust defending champions Senegal in the round of 16, started the quarter-final clash on the back seat before they were nearly punished by the enterprising Malian side. After the VAR had come to their rescue earlier, Ivory Coast conceded a penalty in the 16th minute following a foul on Lassine Sinayoko inside the box by defender Odilon Kossounou, but goalkeeper Yahia Fofona saved Adama Traore’s tame effort.
Cote d’Ivoire never got going for large periods of the half and with just few minutes before the break, the hosts’ woes were compounded when they were reduced to 10 men after Kossounou, who was booked for the initial penalty he gave away, picked up a second yellow card.
The red card changed the dynamics of the game with the Malians taking control of the game, before going ahead to take the lead in the 71st minute courtesy of Nene Dorgeles’ excellent curler into the top corner of the net from distance. Mali were one leg into the last four of the tournament until the 90th minute when substitute Simon Adingra reacted quickest in the Eagles’ box to equalize for Côte d’Ivoire and send the quarter-final game into extra time.
Backed by their vociferous home support, the Elephants went into the lead with less than 60 seconds before the game was supposed to go into a penalty shootout. Substitute Oumar Diakite backflipped a goal-bound shot from Seko Fofana to book Côte d’Ivoire’s spot in the AFCON semi-finals.
Côte d’Ivoire will now face DR Congo, who defeated Guinea 3-1 in their quarter-final match, at Alassane Ouattara Olympic Stadium in Ebimpé on Wednesday for a place in the final of this year’s tournament.
Meanwhile, the Super Eagles of Nigeria, who edged Angola on Friday, will face South Africa, who defeated Cape Verde on penalties, in the other semi-final in Bouake on Wednesday.
