AFCON 2023: Ivory Coast's Challenging Journey To Victory
Ivory Coast had a challenging journey to win the AFCON 2023 final title.
In the group stage:
1). They had one win and two losses, including a humiliating 4-0 defeat to Equatorial Guinea.
Despite these setbacks, they managed to qualify for the knockout stage as the fourth-best third-place team. After the group stage, they made a bold decision to sack their head coach.
In the Round of 16:
They faced a tough challenge against the title holders, Senegal. Ivory Coast fought hard and forced the game into extra time with an 86th-minute equalizer. They eventually eliminated Senegal in a dramatic penalty shootout.
In the quarterfinals:
Ivory Coast faced another difficult match. They played with 10 men from the 43rd minute, but still managed to equalize in the 90th minute. In the second minute of extra time stoppage, they scored a crucial goal to beat Mali and advance to the semifinals.
In the semifinals:
Ivory Coast faced DR Congo. They secured a victory with a 65th-minute goal, earning them a spot in the final.
In the final match against Nigeria:
Ivory Coast showed great resilience. They equalized in the 62nd minute and then sealed the victory with an 81st-minute winning goal.
Throughout the tournament, Ivory Coast demonstrated their determination and never gave up. Despite facing difficult situations, they fought hard and emerged as the deserving champions of AFCON.
