Ivory coast win AFCON opening match against Guinea-Bissau

Ivory Coast initiated their African Cup of Nations campaign with a solid 2-0 triumph over Guinea-Bissau, courtesy of goals from Seko Fofana and Jean-Philippe Krasso.

The host nation secured a comfortable victory, with Fofana breaking the deadlock through a well-placed finish, igniting celebrations among the home fans. Krasso extended their lead just before the hour mark, solidifying Ivory Coast’s control of the match.

While it wasn’t as prolific as their 5-1 friendly win against Sierra Leone the previous Saturday, Ivory Coast has now scored at least twice in each of their last four matches, tallying an impressive 18 goals across these games.

Guinea-Bissau, on the other hand, extended their goalless streak to eight matches at the Africa Cup of Nations, establishing a record for any team in the history of the competition.

As the final whistle blew, most players dropped to the turf, indicating the physical toll of the match, likely exacerbated by the high humidity, as reported by the BBC.

In the second Group A match at the same stadium tomorrow at 14:00 GMT, Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea are set to play, anticipating warmer conditions.