Ten-man Ivory Coast secured a spot in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) semi-finals for the first time since 2015 with a dramatic 2-1 victory over Mali on home soil.
Referee Mohamed Adel's early decision, initially awarding a penalty to Mali but later rescinded due to an offside call after VAR review, set the tone for a contentious match. Despite a missed penalty by Mali's Adama Traoré, Ivory Coast's Odilon Kossounou, already booked, was later dismissed for a foul on Lassine Sinayoko.
With a pragmatic approach, Ivory Coast adapted to their numerical disadvantage, while Mali's Nene Dorgeles shocked the stadium with a stunning goal in the 71st minute.
Down to 10 men and facing elimination, Ivory Coast staged a remarkable comeback with Simon Adringa's last-minute equalizer, forcing the game into extra time.
The additional 30 minutes witnessed intense action, with Sébastien Haller hitting the bar for Ivory Coast. In a dramatic finish, Oumar Diakite flicked in Seko Fofana's shot, securing a historic win. Tempers flared at full time, resulting in red cards for Diakite and Mali's Hamari Traore.
Ivory Coast now advances to face the Democratic Republic of Congo in the semi-finals, marking a triumphant turnaround in their AFCON journey.
