A flying start for Ivory Coast! Seko Fofana and Jean-Philippe Krasso fire AFCON hosts to victory in tournament opener as Guinea-Bissau pay for defensive blunders
2024 Africa Cup of Nations
2-0
Match Events
0' The match is about to start!
4' GOAL! Ivory Coast 1-0 Guinea-Bissau (S.Fofana)
35' Match Event for Ivory Coast vs Guinea-Bissau
37' Highlight from Ivory Coast vs Guinea-Bissau
42' Highlight from Ivory Coast vs Guinea-Bissau
58' GOAL! Ivory Coast 2-0 Guinea-Bissau (Jean-Philippe Krasso)
74' Highlight from Ivory Coast vs Guinea-Bissau
Match Report
Africa Cup of Nations hosts Ivory Coast got their tournament off to an awesome start as they beat Guinea-Bissau 2-0 in the opening match.
It took just four minutes for the competition to get up and running as Seko Fofana put Ivory Coast 1-0 up. The tournament hosts pounced on a terrible pass from Jefferson Encada just outside the Guinea-Bissau box and Fofana smashed in a nice goal despite being surrounded by defenders.
The visitors broke through just before the half-hour mark for their first big chance of the game but Mama Balde could not beat the goalkeeper. Ivory Coast responded with another excellent shot effort from Fofana, only to see goalkeeper Ouparine Djoco tip it onto the bar. The Ivorians had another great opportunity moments later but Jean-Philippe Krasso's effort from close range was blocked.
While chances were few and far between for them, Guinea-Bissau maintained some hope of staying in the game, but that all came to an end just before the hour mark when Opa Sangante's calamitous defending gifted Krasso a chance and he made no mistake in firing it in.
Line-ups
Ivory Coast XI: S.Fofana, Jérémie Boga, Bamba, Kessie, Jean-Philippe Krasso, Sangare, Ghislain Konan, Yahia Fofana, N'Dicka, Singo, Ousmane Diomande
Subs: Gradel, Aurier, Boly, Seri, Badra Ali Sangaré, Pepe, Ismaël Diallo, Kouame, Idrissa Doumbia, Odilon, Karim Konaté, Oumar Diakité
Guinea-Bissau XI: C.Mané, Opa Sangante, Balde, Janio Bikel, Moreto Cassamá, Alfa Semedo, Ouparine Djoco, Fali Candé, Encada, Mauro Rodrigues, Mane M.
Subs: Zinho Gano, Jonas Mendes, Edgar Ié, Nanu, Zé Turbo, Dálcio, Houboulang Mendes, Sori Mané, Carlos Mendes, Franculino, Marciano Sanca, Nito