AFCON ‘23: Hosts nation Ivory Coast secures 2-0 win over Guinea-Bissau

Ivory Coast, the host nation of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations kicked off their campaign in the continental football championship with a 2-0 win over Guinea-Bissau. Seko Fofana and Jean-Phillipe Krasso scored to give the hosts a perfect start…

The 2023 TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations kicked off on Saturday with the hosts Ivory Coast opened their campaign with a 2-0 victory over Guinea-Bissau.

Seko Fofana gave the Elephants the lead in the Group A match in Abidjan when he scored from just inside the area in the fourth minute.

He almost doubled the lead before half-time but was denied by the opponent’s goalkeeper.

Jean-Phillipe Krasso doubled the lead after showing great skill as he fired in a left-footed shot from eight yards out in the 58th minute.

The win justified the hosts’ massive investment after spending more than 1 billion US dollars to host the continental championship.

The Ivorians now lead group A after they secured the needed win in the competition opener.

In other match of the day, Nigeria will face Equatorial Guinea at 14:00 GMT on Sunday in the second Group A match while 2021 runners-up Egypt and four-time champions Ghana will also be in action later in the day as Group B gets underway.