In a well-executed 4-3-3 system, Côte d’Ivoire demonstrated dominance over Senegal in Abidjan at the end of the first leg play-off matches for the 2014 Brazil World Cup, securing a 3-1 victory and taking a significant advantage before the return match in Casablanca.
Didier Drogba showcased leadership by putting his teammates on the path to victory with an early penalty converted in the 3rd minute, a result of a foul committed by Cheikou Kouyaté on Gervinho. Attempting to equalize, Alain Giresse’s men left openings, and Gervinho capitalized, pushing Lamine Sané to score an own goal. Before the first quarter of the game, the Ivory Coast Elephants led 2-0.
Despite numerous attempts from Papis Cissé and Dramé, the captain of Senegal, there were no further goals until the end of the first half. Returning to the pitch, Ivory Coast continued its vibrant play, orchestrated by Yaya Touré. The Manchester City midfielder played a key role in the third goal, with Gervinho assisting Salomon Kalou. Kalou, after deceiving the Senegal goalkeeper, scored the third goal for the Ivory Coast.
With a comfortable lead already secured, the Ivorians eased off in the latter stages of the match. Senegal, however, continued to press for more and managed to score a goal in the last minute—a glimmer of hope for Alain Giresse’s men before the return match.
