Ivory Coast took an early lead with a goal from Gonazo Bi in the 4th minute, maintaining their advantage until halftime. Meanwhile, Mali dominated against Togo, taking the lead with a goal from Adama Traoré.
In the second half, Togo managed to equalize against the run of play, with Kondo Arimiyaou scoring his second goal of the tournament. Despite Mali’s continued dominance, the score remained level.
In the Burkina Faso vs. Ivory Coast match, Guy Zongo equalized for Burkina Faso. The match reached a climax in the 90th minute when Issoufou Dayo converted a penalty to seemingly give Burkina Faso the lead. However, Ivory Coast responded in the 93rd minute with Hermann Kouaho, leveling the score at 2-2. The result was insufficient for Ivory Coast, who needed a win and a misstep from Mali.
Final Group A Standings:
- Burkina Faso: 5 points (+4 goal difference)
- Mali: 5 points (+1 goal difference)
- Ivory Coast: 4 points (+1 goal difference)
- Togo: 1 point (-5 goal difference)
Burkina Faso’s draw against Ivory Coast secured their place in the tournament final.
