Host Ivory Coast beats defending champ Senegal on penalties to reach Africa Cup quarters

Frank Kessié scored the winning penalty for Ivory Coast to knock out defending champion Senegal from the Africa Cup of Nations last 16 in a penalty shootout on Monday.

It was Kessié’s second successful penalty kick of the match after coming on as a substitute to equalize for Les Éléphants and make it 1-1 in normal time with his 86th-minute penalty in Yamoussoukro.

Senegal defender Moussa Niakhaté missed the Teranga Lions third penalty in the shootout, but all five of Ivory Coast’s penalty takers scored to win 5-4 and set off celebrations in Charles Konan Banny Stadium and all across the country.  

The host got a break when Senegal keeper Edouard Mendy conceded a late penalty for missing the ball after coming out of his six yard box and bringing down Nicolas Pépé. Referee Pierre Ghislain Atcho initially felt there was no foul but changed his mind after a VAR check. Kessié scored from the spot to keep the Elephants in the tournament.

Ivory Coast barely qualified for  the knockout round but managed to get through as one of the best third place teams. The Ivorian Football Federation fired the head coach Jean-Louis Gassett and tried unsucessfully to rehire Herve Renard who brought AFCON success to the Elephants back in 2015.  

Interim coach Emerse Faé, a former Ivory Coast midfielder spoke about the victory.

“Given where we come from, conceding this very early goal could have sunk us. My players reacted well,” Faé said.

Ivory Coast will play the winner of the match between Mali or Burkina Faso.