Title: Ivory Coast vs Equatorial Guinea: a humiliating defeat for the Elephants
Introduction :
The decisive match between Ivory Coast and Equatorial Guinea during CAN 2023 took a dramatic turn for the Elephants. In a packed stadium, the Ivorians suffered a humiliating 4-0 defeat, putting their qualification in jeopardy. A look back at this meeting which left Ivorian supporters stunned.
Development 1: A promising start to the match for the Elephants
At kick-off, the Ivorians were under pressure to secure a victory. President Alassane Ouattara had even launched a call for sacred unity to support the national team. In the stands, the supporters responded by displaying an impressive tifo. On the pitch, the Elephants started the game with determination, dominating their opponents and creating several scoring opportunities. Nicolas Pépé, in particular, was particularly impactful on his right wing. Unfortunately, the Ivorian players lacked precision in the last pass, thus missing scoring opportunities.
Development 2: Equatorial Guinea takes advantage of the Elephants’ mistakes
Despite their domination, the Ivorians were caught cold by Equatorial Guinea just before half-time. On their first foray into the Ivorian penalty area, the Equatoguineans managed to open the scoring through Nsué. This goal was a real blow for Ivory Coast, especially since at the same time, Nigeria also scored in their match. The Elephants did everything they could to come back to the score in the second half, but were thwarted by VAR, who canceled a valid Sangaré goal for offside.
Development 3: A total rout for the Elephants
Despite the encouragement of their public, the Ivorians continued to accumulate missed opportunities. The attackers were clumsy in front of goal, stumbling several times against the Equatoguinean goalkeeper. The Ivorian defense also showed flaws, allowing Equatorial Guinea to score two more goals and definitively seal the fate of the match. The humiliation was total for the Elephants, who saw many spectators leave the stadium before the end of the match, expressing their discontent.
Conclusion :
Ivory Coast’s defeat against Equatorial Guinea was a real slap in the face for the Ivorian national team. This setback seriously compromises their chances of qualifying for the round of 16 of CAN 2023. The Elephants will have to recover quickly from this humiliating defeat and give everything in the next matches to try to qualify.