TRANSFER - IVORY COAST - Ex-Chelsea striker Salomon Kalou joins Hertha Berlin

Kalou, scored 23 goals in 67 appearances for Ivory Coast - He has proved his class in the Premier League, Champions League and with his national team. 

1 Sep 2014
2015 AFRICA CUP QUALIFIERS - GROUP STAGE - TOGO - 1ST MATCHES - PREVIEW - Emmanuel Adebayor

The Tottenham Hotspur striker, 30, refused call-ups for World Cup qualifiers last year following a spat with then coach Didier Six after the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations.

1 Sep 2014
2015 AFRICA CUP QUALIFIERS - GROUP STAGE - Sierra Leone - 1ST MATCHES - PREVIEW

Sierra Leone move tie with DR Congo to Lubumbashi - because of the ebola outbreak.

31 Aug 2014
2015 AFRICA CUP QUALIFIERS - GROUP STAGE - IVORY COAST - 1ST MATCHES - PREVIEW

Ivory Coast striker Seydou Doumbia has been coaxed out of international retirement by coach Herve Renard and named in the squad for September's Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

29 Aug 2014
TRANSFER - MOROCCO - Bayern Munich sign Roma defender Mehdi Benatia

The 27-year-old, who helped Roma finish second in Serie A last season, had been linked with a move to Premier League sides Chelsea and Manchester United.

28 Aug 2014
TRANSFER - Mali - Modibo Maiga signs for Metz on loan from West Ham

The 26-year-old will spend the rest of the season at Metz, who also have an option to buy the player. The deal is the second between the clubs this month after Diafra Sakho joined West Ham in a permanent move.

27 Aug 2014
TRANSFER - CAMEROON - Everton set to sign former Chelsea striker Samuel Eto'o

Talks are ongoing but Everton could sign Eto'o in time for him to be in line for a debut against his old side at Goodison on Saturday.

26 Aug 2014
AFRICA CUP OF NATIONS - Ethiopia and Kenya bid to host 2017 Africa Cup

Ethiopia Football Federation president Junedin Basha told BBC Sport: "We already have two ready venues, the Addis Ababa and the Bahir Dar stadiums, and the construction of the other venues has also reached to a good level.

26 Aug 2014

2024 AFRICA CUP - GROUP A - DAY 01 - Côte d'Ivoire vs Guinea Bissau 2:0

AFRICA CUP 2024
GROUP A

DAY 01
Match 01

Côte d'Ivoire vs Guinea Bissau 2:0

 

FACTS

Fofana and Krasso on target

Hosts Ivory Coast opened their 2023 Africa Cup of Nations campaign with a 2:0 victory over Guinea-Bissau. Seko Fofana gave the Elephants the perfect start in the Group A clash in Abidjan when he blasted home from just inside the area in the fourth minute. He almost doubled the lead before half-time but another powerful effort was tipped onto the bar by Ouparine Djoco. Jean-Philippe Krasso hooked in the second after the break after some smart control under pressure in the box.

The 2023 Afcon finals have been pushed back by six months - into early 2024 - to avoid the rainy season in West Africa, but the delay helped Ivory Coast finalize their preparations, with the total cost of hosting more than $1bn.

The Elephants, looking for their third continental triumph after wins in 1992 and 2015, had to begin their bid for glory without first-choice striker Sebastien Haller because of injury. But midfielder Fofana broke the deadlock early on after being fed by Franck Kessie, skipping past a couple of defenders and sending his powerful right-footed strike inside the right-hand upright. Mama Balde spurned Guinea-Bissau's best chance in the first half, scuffing his effort when played into the box, and only a smart save by Djoco kept the score at 1:0 after the impressive Fofana latched on to a cut-back from the right.

Krasso doubled the lead after showing great skill to juggle the ball and then swiveling and hooking in a left-footed shot from eight yards out in the 58th minute. Substitute Franculino fired straight at Ivorian keeper Yahia Fofana in the final 20 minutes but the Djurtus, who have qualified for a fourth consecutive Afcon, could not score and are still awaiting their first win at the finals.

Nigeria faces Equatorial Guinea at 14:00 GMT on Sunday in the second Group A match, while 2021 runners-up Egypt and four-time champions Ghana will also be in action later in the day as Group B commences.


By Rob Stevens
BBC Sport Africa

 

 

13 Jan 2024
afrofootball

Related countries

Related articles