Ivorians top Afcon group after dramatic comeback win: Defending champions Ivory Coast produced a dramatic late turnaround to defeat Gabon and finish top of Group F, edging ahead of Cameroon on goals scored.
The Elephants found themselves in serious trouble early on, falling two goals behind inside 21 minutes. Their recovery began just before half-time when Jean-Philippe Krasso reacted quickest to tap home after Wilfried Zaha squared the ball across goal.
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Despite enjoying more possession after the break, Ivory Coast struggled to create clear chances until the closing stages. With just six minutes left on the clock, Aston Villa striker Evann Guessand rose highest to meet a corner and power in the equaliser, setting the stage for a tense finish.
Deep into stoppage time, Bazoumana Toure completed the comeback in style. The winger dived bravely to head in Christopher Operi’s cross from the left, triggering jubilant celebrations among the Ivory Coast players and supporters.
There was nearly a fourth goal moments later when Yan Diomande broke forward on the counter, but VAR ruled out his finish for an offside earlier in the move.
Until Ivory Coast’s late surge, Cameroon were on course to claim top spot following their 2-1 victory over Mozambique. Instead, the Elephants’ win reshuffled the standings and sent them through as group winners.
Ivory Coast will now take on Burkina Faso in the last 16 in Marrakesh on Tuesday, 6 January (19:00 GMT), avoiding what would have been a far tougher path towards the final.
Elephants deliver another dramatic escape
Late comebacks and emotional twists were a defining feature of Ivory Coast’s title run on home soil at the 2023 tournament, and Emerse Fae’s side were forced to show that same resilience once again after a shaky start.
Although Gabon had already been knocked out following defeats to Cameroon and Mozambique, they started with confidence. Guelor Kanga opened the scoring in the 11th minute by converting a rebound, before Denis Bouanga doubled the lead ten minutes later with a superb first-time strike into the far corner.
Krasso’s goal just before the interval kept Ivory Coast alive, and a series of second-half substitutions eventually shifted the momentum. The introductions of Manchester United wing-back Amad and Guessand added pace and urgency, stretching the Gabon defence.
For a long period, the Elephants looked destined to finish second and face South Africa in the knockout phase, placing them in the same side of the draw as hosts Morocco, Algeria and Nigeria. Their late rally changed everything.
Burkina Faso now stand in their way, but Ivory Coast remain in a demanding section of the bracket alongside record seven-time champions Egypt and 2021 winners Senegal, in a competition where all of the top 12-ranked teams have reached the knockout rounds.
