Diakité’s goal in the 120th minute leads to Mali’s defeat and advances 10-man Ivory Coast to the semi-finals.

What is the maximum number of times a team can face elimination before they are eliminated? Ivory Coast played the entire second half with a player down, were losing 1-0, and appeared to be on the verge of elimination from the Africa Cup of Nations. However, in the final minute of regular time, substitute Simon Adingra made a run from the right side, passed to Seko Fofana, and then quickly reacted to score off of his teammate’s blocked shot. The hosts once again managed to avoid elimination with a dramatic goal in the final minute of extra time.

While it may not seem logical, Ivory Coast has secured a spot in the semi-finals and will be going up against Democratic Republic of the Congo. Any opposing team will not only have to contend with a talented squad and enthusiastic home fans, but also a strong sense of momentum that seems to be unstoppable at the moment. The Mali team was left heartbroken, with some players and their coach Éric Chelle in tears, while others clashed with the Egyptian referee Mohamed Adel, resulting in a red card for Hamari Traoré.

The challenges faced by Ivory Coast in advancing from their group not only contributed to a perception that this team is otherworldly – known as les Revenants by locals – but also resulted in the hosts relocating from the Stade Alassane Ouattara in Abidjan. The quarter-final match held in Bouaké held significant meaning after a previous round of 16 game in Yamoussoukro, the former capital of the rebels during the first civil war in Ivory Coast.

In 2007, Didier Drogba brought his African player of the year trophy to Bouaké as a gesture of reconciliation. He then convinced the government and his teammates to play a Cup of Nations qualifier against Madagascar at the Stade de la Paix. This stadium is known for its role in promoting peace. In 2011, Ouattara became president after the second civil war. He saw the tournament as a symbol of unity in the modern Ivory Coast. However, it is easier to tell this story when the team is playing in both the Islamic north and the Christian south.

Putting aside any political implications, the narrative of Ivory Coast’s performance in this tournament has been that of a team experiencing good fortune. It was widely assumed that they were eliminated after losing to Nigeria and suffering a 4-0 defeat against Equatorial Guinea. However, thanks to Ghana giving up two goals in stoppage time against Mozambique and Zambia failing to score against Morocco, Ivory Coast was able to advance as one of the best third-place teams. In the round of 16, they were losing 1-0 to defending champions Senegal with only four minutes remaining, but managed to tie the game with a penalty and ultimately win in a shootout.

The physicality of Mali caught them off guard, especially for Odilon Kossounou, who plays for Bayer Leverkusen. He was lucky not to be penalized for a handball in the box due to a VAR offside call. However, he did concede a penalty by bringing down Lassine Sinayoko. Fortunately, Yahia Fofana made an impressive save to his left to stop Adama Traoré’s shot. Kossounou’s second yellow card was given just before halftime for another foul on Sinayoko.

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In his second game as coach, Emerse Faé took over after Jean-Louis Gasset was fired at the end of the group stage. He implemented a defensive 5-3-1 formation that limited Mali to long-distance shots. However, one of these shots, a 25-yard strike from Nene Dorgeles, found its way into the top corner. Despite the fact that Dorgeles was born in Mali to Ivorian parents and did not celebrate his goal, it seemed that the story was coming to an end. But les Revenants refused to give up; even with only 10 players on the field and down a goal in the final seconds, they showed their resilience and determination.

Sébastien Haller’s shot hit the crossbar, but the winning goal was scored in the last minute of extra time when Oumar Diakité redirected a Fofana shot with a skillful flick of his heel. However, Diakité was then given a red card for his celebration. Faé’s incredible underdog story continues.

In the second quarter-final match of the evening, South Africa defeated Cape Verde 2-1 in a penalty shootout following a scoreless 120 minutes of play. Ronwen Williams, the goalkeeper for South Africa, saved four penalties to secure their spot in the semi-finals against Nigeria.

Source: theguardian.com