AFCON 2024: Ivory Coast Come From Behind To Beat Mali, Advance To Semi-final

 

Ivory Coast left it really late to get two stunning stoppage time goals and come from behind to defeat Mali by 2-1 to advance to the semi-finals of the 2024 AFCON Cup. 

After a goalless first period with a penalty loss by Adama Traore and a red card offence to an Ivorian defender, Mali moved ahead in the lead with a sensational 30-yard finish from Nene Dorgeles with an individual effort. 

Mali found succour from Simon Adringra's equaliser right on the 90th minute, after the Brighton & Albion Hove winger dribbled past the Malian defenders before finishing out a rebound shot. The winning  goal came in as Oumar Diakite deflected home with backheel Seko Fofana's shot from inside the box. 

Ivory Coast reached the knockout stages as the best losers of their group and have improved on their game to defeat Senegal and Mali en route to the Last four. The two-time AFCON champions won their last trophy in 2012 in Zambia. 

Quick Overview 

Remarkable comeback for 10-man Ivory Coast to have defeated Mali with a deciding goal on the last minute of the extra-time. They kept their fighting spirit through the game that looked somewhat like going the way of Mali by the chances they had in the extra-time. 

Mali wasted plenty of chances with their first from Adama Traore's penalty saved by Yahia Fafona followed by the Ivorians losing Odilon Kossounou to a second yellow card offence in the first half. In spite of those shortcomings, the Ivorians came back stronger to level the deficit with a stoppage time goal and compensated their effort with yet another extra-time stoppage time goal. 

It was a convincing victory for the Ivorian and a devastating loss to the Malians, whose manager's technical adjustments after the interval had set them off for the victory from Dorgeles' opener until the Ivorians thrilling comeback.