All posts tagged: cote d' ivoire

Football In 2024: A Call Back To The Pre-Lionel Messi And Cristiano Ronaldo Age

Football In 2024: A Call Back To The Pre-Lionel Messi And Cristiano Ronaldo Age

Published by Webster

2024 is perhaps the first year of football in a long time where it’s hard to pick out one singular standout moment of the year. 2023 saw Manchester City lift the treble, 2022 was Lionel Messi‘s ascent to immortality, 2021 was Italy’s Euro triumph, and before that, we did not have to look past Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo to find a standout. But in 2024 – for the first time in years – the standout thing was that there wasn’t a standout moment. And perhaps the best way to signal the fact that there wasn’t a standout was the fact that neither Messi nor Ronaldo made it into the Top 30 of the Ballon d’Or nominees. The award they couldn’t stop winning at one point had finally moved on for good. Football in 2024 saw surprises. Perhaps more than we’re used to. Bayern Munich no longer won the Bundesliga, dark horses Spain won the Euros, and a defensive midfielder won the Ballon d’Or. For good heavens, Ivory Coast won the Africa Cup of …

Nigeria Set Up AFCON Final Against Hosts Ivory Coast

Published by Webster

Substitute forward Kelechi Iheanacho and goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali played key roles as Nigeria beat South Africa 4-2 on penalties on Wednesday in an Africa Cup of Nations semi-final thriller. The three-time champions will face hosts Ivory Coast, who dominated the Democratic Republic of Congo but had to settle for a 1-0 win in Abidjan, in the final on Sunday. Nigeria triumphed after a 1-1 draw following extra time in Bouake in the latest of many dramatic matches at this biennial African football showpiece. “Our team has a huge state of mind. The team fights together, There are 25 of us (in the squad and) it’s difficult to beat us,” said Nigeria coach Jose Peseiro. “Deep down, thinking about that second cancelled (Nigerian) goal and the (South African equaliser), a lot of teams would have given up. “I am very happy, the players are happy, they deserve it, we deserve it, the Super Eagles deserve it, the Nigerian people deserve it.” South Africa coach Hugo Broos said: “Football can be cruel. You play a …

Last-Gasp AFCON Triumph For Ivory Coast, South Africa Also Reach Semis

Published by Webster

Oumar Diakite was the hero as hosts Ivory Coast staged another remarkable salvage operation on Saturday to reach the Africa cup of Nations semi-finals, and South Africa later joined them. A brilliant back-heel by the substitute in added time at the end of extra time in Bouake gave the Elephants a 2-1 victory over Mali, who dominated much of the quarter-final and scored first. Ivory Coast-born Nene Dorgeles put Mali ahead on 71 minutes against the host nation, who were reduced to 10 men just before half-time when Odilon Kossounou was sent off. But another Ivorian substitute, Simon Adingra, levelled in the 90th minute to take the pulsating west African showdown into extra time. Then, with the quarter-final seemingly set to be decided by a penalty shootout, Diakite back-heeled a drive from a teammate past Mali goalkeeper Djigui Diarra. Diakite, who had been yellow-carded earlier, took off his shirt when celebrating, leading to a second caution followed by a red card. Victory came at a high price as suspensions rule Diakite, Kossounou, captain …