Chronicle EditorHost nation Cote d’Ivoire will have to rely on other results to avoid a shock Africa Cup of Nations group-stage exit after Equatorial Guinea thrashed the Elephants 4-0 in a huge upset in Abidjan yesterday.
Emilio Nsue’s double, Pablo Ganet’s 25-yard free-kick and Yannick Buyla’s late goal gave the National Thunder a famous win that sealed top spot in
Group A.
The hosts must sweat on qualification after finishing third in Group A.
The four best third-placed sides across the six groups progress to the last 16.
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Ibrahim Sangare twice had equalisers ruled out for the Ivorians when they were only a goal behind, but the Elephants wasted a host of chances and were made to pay by their clinical opposition.
Some Ivorian players were in tears at the final whistle as they were loudly booed off by an angry partisan crowd at Alassane Ouattara Stadium after one of the biggest surprises in Afcon history.
Meanwhile, Nigeria beat Guinea-Bissau 1-0 to progress to the last 16 of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.
The winner came when Opa Sangante diverted a Moses Simon cross into his own net nine minutes before the break.
Both sides had goals ruled out in the second half for offside, while Nigeria striker Victor Osimhen also had an effort disallowed for handball.
Jose Peseiro’s side finished second in Group A behind Equatorial Guinea.
The Super Eagles will face the second-placed side from Group C, which will be Senegal, Guinea or Cameroon, in the last 16 on Saturday(20:00GMT).
Fixtures today
GROUP C: Gambia v Cameroon, Guinea v Senegal
GROUP D: Angola v Burkina Faso, Mauritania v Algeria. – BBC Sport.
Londile Moyo
Online Reporter