Holders Ivory Coast out of Cup of Nations
DEFENDING champions Ivory Coast were sent packing from the Africa Cup of Nations on Tuesday after losing 1-0 to a Morocco side coached by their old boss Herve Renard.
A brilliant Rachid Alioui goal gave Morocco the victory in Oyem in northern Gabon as the Atlas Lions marched on to the quarters alongside DR Congo.
An impressive Congolese side eased to a 3-1 win against Togo in the night’s other game in Port-Gentil as they sealed top spot in Group C.
But it is the elimination of the Elephants, winners in 2015 af t er a penalty shootout against Ghana, that overshadows all else.
Their departure is the latest blow to the tournament following premature exits for hosts Gabon and much-fancied Algeria in the last few days.
And for the fourth consecutive Cup of Nations, the reigning champions ns will be absent from the quarters, rters, but the winning coach ch from two years ago will ll be in the last eight. .
The blond, d, b r o n z e d 48-year-old, wearing his lucky white e shirt, hopes to become the first coach to win n three Cup of Nations ns titles with three different countries having ving also won it with Zambia ambia in 2012.
“Today we beat the Ivory Coast on a bad pitch that proved oved to be a leveller. Nowow a new competitionn begins wi t h t he knockout matches, which will be much like this one, and we will need a winnin winning mentality,” Renard said. Aliou Alioui, of French secondtier side Nimes, curled in a sublime long-range e effort at the end of a counterattack just past the hour mark to break the deadlockl and leave the IvoriansIv needing to scoresc twice to stay alive.aliv They could not. “I “It is an immense disappointment.dis My thoughtstho go out to all IvoriansIvo who are going throughthro a difficult time,” said their French coach MichelMic Dussuyer (pictured,tured AFP). “I take responsibility. We didd not fulfil our objectives.objec Our ambition was to get past the first round and retain our title. It is going to be a difficult night,” he added as he refused to be drawn on his future in the job.
DRC underline credentials
As the Ivorians prepare to go home, Morocco will now head to Port-Gentil for a quarterfinal, while DR Congo make their way back to Oyem.
Florent Ibenge’s side needed just a draw to qualify but a 3-1 win over Togo secured top spot and the manner of their performance on a shocking pitch suggests the 2015 semifinalists must be seen as genuine contenders now.
Junior Kabananga fired past Togo’s substitute goalkeeper Cedric Mensah for the opener just before the half-hour mark and he also headed against the post prior to the interval.
Neeskens Kebano of Fulham lobbed in the second goal nine minutes into the second period after latching onto Marcel Tisserand’s punt downfield.
Kodjo Fo-Doh Laba pulled one back for Togo but a PaulJose Mpoku free-kick with 10 minutes left that struck the bar and came down just over the line secured the win.
“Having gone top of the group after two rounds of games we needed to remain vigilant and we did that,” said Ibenge. “They gave us a fright after we had gone 2-0 up and had we not matured as a team thanks to the two years we have spent together we might have panicked.”
Togo and their captain Emmanuel Adebayor were given a guard of honour at the end by the Congolese players but they go home having failed to register a win.