Tamer Bogato, the sports analyst for Cairo Al-Ikhbariya, commented on the result of the Mali vs. Ivory Coast match in the Africa Cup of Nations, stating that it is evident that the home advantage has a significant impact with the crowd.
He expressed that Mali’s team was exceptionally strong, and it is saddening to see them exit, especially considering their highly organized play.
They concluded the game in the first half, and a penalty was missed inexplicably, which could have changed the course of the match.
During his appearance on the “CAN 2023” program broadcast on Al-Ikhbariya channel, Bogato added that Mali’s team was the strongest, closest, and most organized, especially in the midfield.
The team’s defensive lines were compact, making it extremely challenging to penetrate deep into their territory.
He continued, “A team that gets a scoring opportunity but fails to convert it in knockout matches makes a difference in the enthusiasm of the opposing team.
This happened against Mali. If they had scored the penalty, it would have changed the course of the game.
However, it gave greater enthusiasm to Ivory Coast, especially with the crowd factor, which is a crucial element for them.”
