What a dramatic semi-final at the U23 Africa Cup of Nations, Egypt 2019! Ivory Coast booked their place in the final with a tense 3-2 penalty shootout victory over Ghana after a 2-2 draw in extra time on Tuesday at Cairo International Stadium.
The Elephants got off to a flying start, with Youssouf Dao opening the scoring in the 13th minute, giving Ivory Coast a 1-0 lead at halftime. Ghana responded after the break through Yaw Yeboah to level the score. Dao then struck again, netting twice to put the Elephants ahead, but just two minutes from the final whistle, Evans Mensah restored parity for Ghana, sending the match into extra time.
Extra time remained goalless, and the contest went to penalties. Ivorian goalkeeper Ira played the hero, saving two Ghanaian penalties, including Eliezer’s crucial shot, ensuring a 3-2 shootout triumph for Ivory Coast.
With this hard-fought win, the Elephants not only advance to the final but also secure their spot at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
The second Olympic ticket will be decided later today, as hosts Egypt take on South Africa at 6 PM GMT.
