Ivory Coast open AFCON 2023 with 2-0 win over Guinea-Bissau | Africa Cup of Nations News

Seko Fofana’s attractive early goal set hosts Ivory Coast on the easiest way to a 2-0 win over Guinea-Bissau sooner than a euphoric crowd as a result of the Africa Cup of Nations 2023 kicked off in host nation’s monetary capital Abidjan.

Saudi-based Fofana scored inside 4 minutes to the delight of the home followers on Saturday night on the Ebimpe Olympic Stadium.

It was a goal worthy of worthwhile nearly any sport nonetheless it was adopted by Jean-Philippe Krasso’s second-half strike as a result of the Elephants claimed all three elements throughout the Group A encounter.

That they had been the upper crew, albeit in direction of one among many match’s minnows, as they offer the impression of being to profit from residence profit to win a third AFCON crown.

“We now have been prepared for this second for a very very very long time. We didn’t fall into any entice, we obtained the game, and even when not the whole thing was good we’re very happy,” acknowledged Fofana.

“We’ll maintain working humbly and try and proper the little errors we made, nonetheless I assumed we carried out successfully.

“We’re very happy to have given all people who acquired right here proper right here one factor to shout about, along with all people who watched us on television.”

One provide of disappointment for the hosts is that merely 36,858 followers attended the game inside a 60,000-seat stadium, with tickets being purchased for between 5,000 and 15,000 CFA francs ($8-25).

“From what I’d see the stadium appeared full. We had good help,” insisted Fofana.

These followers who had been there have been dealt with to a raucous opening ceremony, a riot of shade and noise which featured a rendition of the match’s official observe by in fashion Ivorian group Magic System.

There have been moreover speeches by FIFA President Gianni Infantino, African soccer boss Patrice Motsepe, and Ivory Coast’s veteran President Alassane Ouattara, who proudly declared his nation “a land of soccer”.

They’re aiming to develop to be the first host nation to boost the trophy since Egypt beat Ivory Coast on penalties throughout the closing in 2006.

Followers lined the route from the Alhassane Ouattara Olympic Stadium throughout the north of the city and mobbed their crew’s bus as coach Jean-Louis Gasset declared it mission achieved and spoke of a approach of discount at worthwhile.

“The precept issue was to win this match. Participating in a niche match of a match in a packed stadium isn’t any simple exercise,” acknowledged Gasset afterwards.

“It was laborious psychologically nonetheless we tried to do the perfect we’d. We had a wonderful start to the match the place we scored, nonetheless it’s true that basic the effectivity was frequent.”