Oumar Diakite scored a back-heel goal in extra time to give hosts Ivory Coast a 2-1 victory over Mali in Bouake on Saturday in a dramatic Africa Cup of Nations quarter-final.
The Ivorians were reduced to 10 men after a red card at the conclusion of the first half, before Diakite’s second yellow for celebrating his winner. They fell behind in the second half to a goal by Nene Dorgeles, but Simon Adingra equalized in the 90th minute.
The triumph was another step forward for the Ivory Coast in an eventful AFCON campaign that saw them squeak into the knockout stage after a 4-0 defeat to Equatorial Guinea.
It was a disappointing result for Mali, who dominated for extended stretches and, despite missing a penalty, appeared poised to keep their record of never losing a Cup of Nations quarterfinal.
Ivory Coast will now go to Abidjan to face the Democratic Republic of Congo in the semi-finals on Wednesday, but Diakite is expected to lose out after receiving a second yellow card while celebrating his winning goal.
This was the countries’ sixth meeting in the AFCON, with two-time champions Ivory Coast having won four and drawn one previously against adversaries whose best performance was as runners-up in 1972.
Emerse Fae, Ivory Coast’s caretaker coach, made three changes to the lineup that began with a dramatic last-16 penalty shootout victory over defending champion Senegal.
Instead of Ibrahim Sangare, Oumar Diakite, and Jean-Philippe Krasso, midfielder Franck Kessie, who scored the winning penalty, winger Nicolas Pepe, and striker Christian Kouame were brought in.
Mali made one forced change to the lineup that defeated Burkina Faso to set up the West African duel, with Diadie Samassekou replacing the sick Mohamed Camara in midfield.
Dominant Mali
Some quarter-final game that! 🤌#MLICIV | #TotalEnergiesAFCON2023 pic.twitter.com/qmYRziGGaB
— CAF (@CAF_Online) February 3, 2024
Mali took advantage of the fact that the majority of the 40,000-strong crowd in the central city backed the host country and gained early domination.
The Eagles’ penalty request was rejected when the ball struck Odilon Kossounou’s outstretched hand due to an earlier offside call.
However, when Kossounou fouled Lassine Sinayoko, the Egyptian referee directed to the spot, but Adama ‘Noss’ Traore’s penalty was saved by Youssouf Fofana in the seventeenth minute.
Ivory Coast struggled to produce chances until just before halftime, when Seko Fofana blazed over a good opportunity just beyond the box.
Kossounou’s problematic first half was exacerbated on 44 minutes when he was issued a yellow card for the second time for clipping Sinayoko and was dismissed.
Fae promptly called on Wilfried Singo to reinforce the defence after Pepe was sacrificed, and Ivory Coast were fortunate to remain level at halftime.
Mali attacked relentlessly against ten men, finally breaking the deadlock when Dorgeles ran across the pitch and fired a shot from right outside the D that soared past Fofana.
Substitute Diakite came close to equalizing with a header from a corner that was just off goal.
Diakite was involved in the last-gasp equalizer, with Adingra capitalizing on a deflection off Boubakar Kouyate inside the box and smashing the ball past goalkeeper Djigui Diarra.
Another Ivorian substitute, Sebastien Haller, hit the crossbar in the opening half of extra time.
Later on Saturday, in Yamoussoukro, 110 kilometres (68 miles) south of Bouake, Cape Verde will face 1996 champions South Africa in the final quarter-final, with the winners facing Nigeria.