BY Victor Akhidenor
ELEPHANTS TRAMPLE ON LIONS
Max Gradel’s 35th minute strike saw the Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire beat the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon 1-0 and finish top of a Group D and qualify for the quarter-finals of the Orange Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
Ahead of the match, all four teams in Group D had exactly the same stats and it boiled down to winner takes all and losers crashing out. Lots would have been needed to be drawn if either of the games finished in a draw.
Mali and Guinea drew theirs meaning the group runner-up will be decided between the two sides by drawing lots on Thursday. But Cote d’Ivoire avoided all that with a win.
Early in the game, Wilfried Bony almost put his side ahead but Ondoa saved his shot from close range.
Few minutes later, Cameroon’s Franck Etoundi headed over the bar from inside the six yard box as both sides searched for the first goal.
Fifteen minutes to the end of the first half Gradel unleashed a 25-yard shot which had only one destination – the top left corner of the net.
Stephane Mbia almost levelled three minutes later but keeper Sylvain Gbohouo was very alert to close him down and foil the move.
Four minutes after the hour mark, Bony went close to grabbing his side’s second when his shot forced a fine save from the keeper.
Cameroon came close to finding the equaliser in the 81st minute but Serge Aurier threw himself at a goal-bound ball to deny Vincent Aboubakar.
The game stayed that way till the end and Cameroon kissed the tournament bye.
Line-up
Cameroon: Ondoa, Guihoata, Nkoulou, Chedjou, Bedimo, Mandjeck, Mbia, Sali, Moukandjo, Choupo-Moting, Etoundi
Cote d’Ivoire: Gbohouo, Kanon, K. Toure, Baily, Tiene, Aurier, Y. Toure, Serey Die, Doumbia, Gradel, Bony
DRAW OF LOTS TO DECIDE GUINEA, MALI’S FATE
Guinea and Mali’s fate will be decided by draw of lots after their 1-1 draw saw them finished on identical statistics.
Guinea drew the first blood in the 13th minute from the penalty spot converted by Kevin Constant after Wague was adjudged to have handled the ball in the box.
Mali were awarded a penalty of their own few minutes later but Seydou Keita’s kick was saved by Yattara.
Mali eventually equalised shortly after the break as an un-marked Maiga headed home from close range.
Wague almost made amends for conceding a penalty by putting his side ahead in the 74th minute, but the defender failed to steer his header on target.
That was the last meaningful chance of the match as neither side could break the deadlock.
The final spot for the last quarter final place will be decided by a draw of lots – which simply is picking a name out of a hat and the name chosen will progress into the last eight – on Thursday.
Line-up
Guinea: N. Yattara, M. Yattara, Sylla, Camara, Traore, Constant, Conte, Cisse, Keita, Fofana, Sankoh
Mali: Berthe, Tamboura,Wague, Salif, Drissa, Sylla, Seydou Keita, N’Diaye, Diaby, Maiga, Mustapha
AFCON NEWS!
MALI AND GUINEA MANAGERS CRITICISE DRAWING OF LOTS
Mali coach Henri Kasperczak and his Guinean counterpart Michel Dussuyer insist the drawing of lots should not be how their Orange Africa Cup of Nations fate is decided.
A draw on Thursday afternoon will decide which side reaches the quarter-finals after they finished joint second with identical records in Group D. But the coaches are unimpressed with this method of separating the two teams.
“We have to solve the problems of qualification without a drawing of lots,” Kasperczak said.
Dussuyer also spoke in the same vein.
“Mali do not deserve to be eliminated in this way, just as we do not. Mali didn’t lose a game – they played very well in the tournament. I would be disappointed, but it’s hard for any team. No-one deserves to be eliminated.”
Guinea winger, Ibrahima Traore, echoed his manager’s thoughts as well.
“It’s not fair for both teams – I don’t make the rules but we could do it on penalty kicks or extra time,” he said.
“The team who deserve to win would do it on the pitch. Not like Thursday. We and Mali will be really anxious because we don’t know if we go home or stay and it’s not up to us. It’ll be really difficult to sleep – it’s not a good situation.”
Lots were originally scheduled to be drawn, if required, at the post-match news conferences but it was announced during the first half that the draw had been moved to Thursday.
The first such drawing of lots in the tournament since 1988, will now take place at a hotel in Malabo with the successful team playing their quarter-final against Ghana on Sunday.
Kasperczak has resigned to fate, though.
“You have to respect the rules, we have no choice. We are going to be nervous, Guinea also. We must find a more sporting way, fairer. This does not correspond to a sporting spirit.”
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