Ivory Coast defeated Sierra Leone 4-1 in their Group G matchup for the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers at Stade Laurent Pokou......See Full Story>>.....See Full Story>>
It was an exciting match that saw the defending champions proved their mettle.
Despite a first half that was evenly balanced, the hosts proved their superiority in the end of the game.
The 1-1 conclusion of the first half set the tone for a contested first half.
Within three minutes of the match, Nicolas Pépé, with assistance from Jean-Philippe Krasso, put Ivory Coast on the scoreboard.
Alhaji Koroma of Sierra Leone equalised in the 43rd minute, with Hamed Mustapha providing the assist, guaranteeing that the scores were tied at the break.
The dynamics dramatically changed in favour of Ivory Coast after halftime.
Franck Kessié’s two goals—a spectacular shot in the 51st minute and a penalty kick in the 76th—turned the tide of play.
Ivory Coast’s convincing victory was cemented when Ouattara Diakité scored another penalty in the 87th minute, double the team’s total.