Ivory Coast’s AFCON fate hangs by a thread as Ghana faces elimination

In a turn of events that has further complicated Ivory Coast’s quest for Round of 16 qualification in the ongoing African Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2023, the Elephants find themselves at the mercy of the unfolding outcomes in the tournament.

After a resounding defeat against Equatorial Guinea on Monday (0-4), Côte d’Ivoire, now placed third in Group A, faces an uncertain fate regarding potential advancement to the next stage of the competition as one of the best third-placed teams.

The Elephants had initially received a glimmer of hope on Monday night with Ghana securing the third spot in Group B with only 2 points.

This placed Côte d’Ivoire in a favorable position, needing to surpass just one more team among the best third-placed finishers to secure a spot in the Round of 16.

However, the scenario quickly changed as Cameroon clinched a last-minute victory against Gambia in Group C (3-2).

With Ghana’s elimination confirmed due to their fifth or sixth-place finish among the third-placed teams, Ivory Coast’s prospects have dwindled.

To keep their AFCON journey alive, Jean-Louis Gasset’s team now pins its hopes on a specific outcome in the Zambia-Morocco clash scheduled for Wednesday in Group F at 8 p.m. GMT.

For the Elephants to advance, they must rely on Zambia losing to Morocco, which would consign them to a lower position than Ivory Coast in the race for the Round of 16.

However, a draw or a Zambian victory would spell the end of the host country’s AFCON campaign.

The dramatic twists in the tournament underline the unpredictable nature of football, as Ivory Coast anxiously awaits the unfolding events on the pitch to determine their fate in AFCON 2023.