The 34th edition of the African Cup of Nations had an exciting start this Saturday, January 13th, in Abidjan, with the Ivory Coast national team facing Guinea-Bissau. In front of a crowd of 36,900 spectators at the Alassane Outtara Olympic Stadium, the host team scored a convincing 2-0 victory in a game that marked the opening of the tournament, which will run until February 11th.
From the opening minutes, the Elephants showed their determination, with Seko Fofana finding the net in the 4th minute, capitalizing on the Djurtos' passive defense. The crowd was excited by the opening ceremony and quickly saw Ivory Coast take control of the game.
Despite having an early lead, the pace of the game didn't reach the expected intensity, as the home team managed to control the time and the score. Guinea-Bissau showed a notable lack of responsiveness to equalize, allowing Ivory Coast to maintain their dominant position.
In the second half, the home team continued to control the game, taking advantage of the opponent's apathy in the defense. In the 58th minute, Jean-Phillips Asso extended the lead to 2-0, consolidating Ivory Coast's position.
French coach Jean Louis Gasset set the goal of securing three points, and his team successfully achieved it. The score remained unchanged, and Ivory Coast celebrates its first victory in the competition, solidifying its aspirations in the African Cup of Nations. The promising performance in the opening match certainly raises expectations for the remainder of the tournament.
