Ivory Coast overcame their poor group stage performance to knock out defending champions Senegal in a penalty shootout, winning 5-4 and securing a spot in the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals against either Mali or Burkina Faso.
The last-16 match, held in Yamoussoukro, was a nail-biter that ended 1-1 after extra time.
Senegal’s Habib Diallo opened the scoring in the fourth minute, but Ivory Coast’s Franck Kessie equalised with a penalty kick just four minutes before the end of regular play. Kessie then emerged as the hero in the penalty shootout, scoring the decisive goal after Moussa Niakhate’s miss for Senegal.
Despite a demoralising 4-0 defeat to Equatorial Guinea the previous Monday, local support for the Ivory Coast team remained strong, with fans eagerly lining up for tickets. After the heavy loss, French coach Jean-Louis Gasset was replaced by assistant coach Emerse Fae, following an unsuccessful bid to reappoint former coach Herve Renard.
The match contrasted the most and least impressive teams from the group stage. Senegal, having topped Group D with victories over Gambia, Cameroon, and Guinea, faced an Ivorian side that had managed only three points and a negative goal difference yet still progressed as one of the best third-placed teams.
Fae’s strategy involved significant changes to the Ivorian starting lineup, while Senegal also made three changes from their last group game. The game began disastrously for Ivory Coast as they conceded an early goal to Diallo. Sadio Mane, who assisted Diallo’s goal, later received a yellow card for a reckless tackle.
Ivory Coast gradually gained momentum but struggled against a defensively solid Senegal. In the second half, the game remained tense, with Senegal appearing more likely to score. However, the Ivorians’ persistence paid off when goalkeeper Edouard Mendy’s foul on Nicolas Pepe led to a VAR-reviewed penalty, which Kessie converted.
The extra time saw both teams pushing for a winner, with Mane and Fofana having notable moments, but it was the penalty shootout that ultimately decided the match in favor of Ivory Coast.