Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) host Ivory Coast defeats defending champions Senegal on penalties to qualify for the AFCON quarterfinals.
It was a pulsating 90 minutes of football with extra time, thanks to Franck Kessie’s penalty that cancelled out Habibou Diallo’s opener.
In a thrilling encounter, Franck Kessie emerged as the Ivory Coast’s savior, stepping off the bench to secure victory for the host nation against reigning champions Senegal.
The dramatic showdown resulted in a tense penalty shootout, with Ivory Coast prevailing 5-4 after a gripping 1-1 draw in the last-16 showdown on Monday.
Kessie sealed the win by calmly slotting home the decisive penalty, capitalizing on Moussa Niakhate’s miss to give Ivory Coast the upper hand at Stade Charles Konan Banny.
Initially overlooked by interim coach Emerse Fae, who took over following Jean-Louis Gasset’s dismissal, Kessie turned the tide with a clinical penalty in the 86th minute, nullifying Diallo’s early breakthrough.
Despite being on the brink of defeat, Sadio Mane’s missed opportunity to extend Senegal’s advantage paved the way for Ivory Coast’s resurgence, aided by referee Pierre Ghislain Atcho’s decision to overturn a non-call on Edouard Mendy’s challenge on Nicolas Pepe.
While Mane successfully converted Senegal’s final penalty in the shootout, Kessie’s nerveless finish epitomized Ivory Coast’s remarkable turnaround. Despite facing adversity since their disappointing 4-0 loss to Equatorial Guinea, Ivory Coast defied the odds to secure a hard-fought victory.
