AFCON 2021: Gradel’s stunner separates Ivory Coast and Equatorial Guinea- match report
Final game for match day four and first round group phase games-Equatorial Guinea 0 Ivory Coast 1
Max Gradel’s screamer from outside the 18-yard box makes the difference for the Elephants at the Japoma Stadium.
Max Gradel long range, superb shot from outside the penalty area after five minutes was enough to give the Elephants a dream start to win the title for the third time.
With this win, Ivory Coast goes top of the table with three points after Algeria drew Sierra Leone in Group E Afcon opener.
The former Leeds united star latch on a loose ball to fire a long range shot into the top right corner in the fifth minute.
Equatorial Guinea, after conceding the goal, played with determination and focus to grab the equalizer, but they were unable to penetrate the formidable midfield trio of Ibrahima Sangare, PSV Eindhoven, Jean-Michael Seri, Fulham and Franck Kessie, AC Milian.
The in-form Ajax striker, Haller was thorn in the flesh of the National Thunder throughout the game. He single-handedly won three free-kicks in the first half.
Sangare came close to give Ivory Coast the second goal, but failed to convert Kessie’s cross with a header. Shortly after, in the 31st minute, he got the first first yellow card of the match.
Equatorial Guinea came close to equalizing after in the 70th minute after Iban Salvador fired a shot from outside the 18-yard box, however, Ivory Coast goalkeeper, Badra Sangare who has been waiting to make his first spectacular save finally got it.
Sangare parried the ball away and deny the National Thunder a chance to grab an equalizer.
Patrice Beaumelle, the Ivory Coast gaffer was not comfortable with the one goal lead, so he brought in Arsenal’s Nicolas Pepe and Crystal Palace’s Wilfred Zaha for Gradel and Cornet respectively in the 71st minute.
Other coaches would have probably brought in a defender to seal the win.
That said, the tactical move yielded no fruit as the game ends, Equatorial Guinea 0 Cote d’Ivore 1.
The Elephants are now top of Group E with three points after Algeria and Sierra Leone shared a point following their goalless draw on Tuesday.
The Elephants will resume Afcon duties on 16 January against Sierra Leone, while the Nzalang Nacional will take on the 2019 AFCON champion on that same day.
