In a sensational quarter-final clash at the Stade de la Paix in Bouake, hosts Côte d'Ivoire produced a remarkable comeback, defeating Mali 2-1 after extra time to secure a spot in the 2023 AFCON semifinals.
The Elephants faced an early setback as Odilon Kossounou conceded a penalty and was sent off, reducing them to 10 men. However, goalkeeper Yahia Fofana's heroic save from Adama Traore's spot-kick maintained parity at halftime.
Despite being outnumbered, Côte d'Ivoire fell behind in the 71st minute when Mali's Nene Dorgeles found the net. Showing incredible spirit, the Ivorians equalized against the run of play with Simon Adingra's rebound following Seko Fofana's shot.
The game extended to extra time, where goalkeeper Fofana's outstanding performance thwarted Mali's attempts. In the dying moments, Oumar Diakete secured a dramatic late winner with a clever backheel finish in the 119th minute.
Emerse Faé, Côte d'Ivoire's coach, expressed his elation, saying, “I am very happy because it was a very very difficult game… The players, especially, didn't give up, they fought into the end.”
Mali's head coach, Éric Sékou Chelle, found it difficult to digest the defeat, acknowledging his team's collapse in the final minutes. Despite the disappointment, he praised his players' talent and expressed sadness for the generation that deserved more.
The match featured several noteworthy moments:
- Côte d'Ivoire won their first AFCON game in extra time since the quarter-finals of the 1992 edition.
- Odilon Kossounou and Oumar Diakité were sent off, marking the first red cards for Côte d'Ivoire players in AFCON since 2015.
- Yahia Fofana's penalty save was a historic moment, making him the first Ivorian goalkeeper to do so at AFCON since 2010.
- Oumar Diakité's goal in the 120th minute was a rare occurrence, the first in AFCON since 2004.
Côte d'Ivoire will now face DR Congo in the semifinals at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium in Abidjan on Wednesday, 07 February, as they continue their quest for AFCON glory.
