Afcon roundup: hosts Ivory Coast near exit after Equatorial Guinea’s shock win
The Africa Cup of Nations hosts Ivory Coast are on the brink of a humiliating exit from their own tournament after a shock 4-0 defeat by Equatorial Guinea.
Two more goals from Equatorial Guinea’s Emilio Nsue, the hat-trick hero from the win against Guinea-Bissau, and strikes from Pablo Ganet and Jannick Buyla left Ivory Coast with only a slim chance of qualifying after finishing third in Group A.
Three points means they are unlikely to be one of the four third-placed teams to get through – they face an agonising wait until the final group-stage games on Wednesday.
Equatorial Guinea were confirmed as the surprise group winners ahead of the three-time champions Nigeria, who beat Guinea-Bissau 1-0. The Super Eagles went ahead on 36 minutes through Opa Sanganté’s own goal but were unable to capitalise on a series of good chances to extend their lead, with Victor Osimhen going close multiple times.
“It’s a nightmare we have lived through,” said the Ivory Coast coach
Jean-Louis Gasset. “I didn’t feel any tension among my players at the start of the match, it was in line with our plan, to try to dominate them, set the pace and open the score. We were surprised on the counter-attack. In football, efficiency is essential, and the opponent gave us a lesson in realism.”
Ivory Coast dominated the first-half chances but were rusty in front of goal with Nicolas Pépé having the best effort before a solitary attack at the other end saw Nsue grab a simple finish in the 42nd minute to put the underdogs ahead at the break.
Ibrahim Sangaré and Jean-Philippe Krasso did have the ball in the net for Ivory Coast but both efforts were marginally offside. The tide then turned firmly in favour of Equatorial Guinea as they set about wrapping up a barely believable win. A brilliant free-kick from Ganet extended their lead in the 73rd minute and two minutes later a breakaway allowed Nsue to make it 3-0. Ivory Coast’s humiliation was completed as the substitute Buyla’s scuffed effort made it 4-0 for the heaviest defeat ever suffered by an Africa Cup of Nations host.
Ghana are also set to miss out on the last 16 after conceding twice in stoppage time to draw 2-2 with Mozambique, while Egypt scraped through despite being held to draw by Cape Verde in Group B.
Jordan Ayew scored a pair of penalties which looked to have sent Ghana through, but a thrilling finale began with Geny Catamo pulling one back from the spot before Reinildo Mandava equalised at the death. The two
dropped points mean Egypt pipped Ghana to second place in Group B, despite also conceding a last-gasp leveller to draw with Cape Verde, and Chris
Hughton’s side are highly unlikely to qualify as one of the best third-placed teams.
Mohamed Salah was in the stands to watch Egypt scrape into the last 16 with a breathless 2-2 draw. The forward stayed on to watch his countrymen in their crucial final Group B match before flying back to Liverpool for treatment on a muscle injury. He would have feared the worst when the Pharaohs were left staring at an early exit after falling behind to a goal from Gilson Tavares for the surprise group winners. But the substitute Trézéguet hauled them level and Mostafa Mohamed fired them ahead at the start of stoppage time.
The Blue Sharks then rocked Egypt by equalising through Bryan Teixeira, but Ghana being pegged back by Mozambique meant the Pharaohs clung on to second place.