The Africa Cup of Nations 2023 is on the verge of a historic goal-scoring milestone, crossing the 100-goal mark during the clash between Senegal and Ivory Coast on Monday.
In a gripping encounter, Ivory Coast’s Elephants triumphed over Senegal’s Lions, securing victory in a penalty shootout after the match ended 1-1 in regular and extra time.
The goal that marked the centennial moment was scored by Frank Kessie, making him the star of the 100th goal in the ongoing AFCON edition.
With 42 matches played so far in the tournament, a total of 100 goals have been netted.
The current goal tally leaves the competition just two goals shy of equaling the record set in the 2019 edition held in Egypt, which witnessed a total of 102 goals in 52 matches.
The 2019 AFCON edition, culminating with Algeria clinching the title against Senegal, remains the most goal-laden tournament in the history of the competition.
As the 2023 edition progresses, the goal-scoring record is within striking distance, with only two more goals needed to match and three to surpass the 2019 record.
The tournament is yet to witness the outcome of the Round of 16 clashes between Morocco and South Africa, as well as Mali versus Burkina Faso, scheduled for Tuesday evening.
Additionally, the anticipation builds for the quarter-finals, semi-finals, and the grand finale.
As Tuesday’s Round of 16 results unfold, the AFCON 2023 may very well become the highest-scoring edition in the history of the Africa Cup of Nations.
However, if this milestone is not reached in the ongoing stages, the upcoming rounds offer ample opportunities to surpass the achievements of the memorable 2019 edition in Egypt.
