Mali vs Ivory Coast. Africa Cup of Nations Quarter Final.
Stade de BouakeAttendance39,836.
Ivory Coast book Africa Cup of Nations semi-final with Congo on Wednesday; South Africa goalkeeper Ronwen Williams saves four penalties in a shootout against Cape Verde to send his country into a last four clash with Nigeria
Saturday 3 February 2024 23:17, UK
Oumar Diakit scored in stoppage time of extra time to send 10-man Ivory Coast into the semi finals of the Africa Cup of Nations with a dramatic 2-1 win over Mali.
Simon Adingra had equalised with the host nation's first shot on target in the 90th minute to send it to extra-time, and Diakit completed a thrilling comeback by scoring in what was the 122nd minute of the game.
It prompted wild celebrations among nearly 40,000 fans in the Stadium of the Peace in Bouak and beyond.
Diakit was booked for excessive celebrations and was sent off as it was his second yellow card. He will miss the semi-final against DR Congo on Wednesday.
Ivory Coast had been heading for a disappointing exit after Mali substitute Nene Dorgeles broke the deadlock with a brilliant strike from distance inside the top right corner in the 71st minute.
The home team had gone down to 10 men from the 43rd after Odilon Kossounou was sent off with his second yellow card for a tactical foul.
Mali had early penalty appeals after a potential hand ball from Kossounou, but a VAR check found an offside infringement in the build-up.
Minutes later, referee Mohamed Adel did award a penalty for Kossounou's challenge on Lassine Sinayoko, only for Yahia Fofana to save Adama Traore's spot kick.
It prompted more commitment from the home team, who had been outplayed, but Mali's defence largely coped with the Elephants' charge.
Seko Fofana fired Ivory Coast's best chance over toward the end of the half, before Kossounou saw red for his tactical foul on Sinayoko.
Dorgeles' goal promoted a late push for an equalizer, but Mali goalkeeper Djigui Diarra was untroubled until Adingra prodded the ball home after Seko Fofana's initial effort was blocked.
Fans watching on large screens in Abidjan flipped into party mode, jumping, dancing and celebrating, but the real party only started after Diakit's late winner.
South Africa goalkeeper Ronwen Williams saved four penalties in the penalty shootout against Cape Verde to carry his country into the last four of the Africa Cup of Nations after a 0-0 draw in their quarter-final.
Mothobi Mvala scored the decisive kick to make it 2-1 on penalties and win South Africa a semi-final place for the first time since 2000.
But they were fortunate to get past the smallest nation in the tournament at Charles Konan Banny Stadium.
It was a game full of missed opportunities but Cape Verde, who have a population of 600,000 but draw most of their players from a large diaspora in Europe, had most of the chances and were only denied a last-four place by the heroics of Williams.
South Africa now take on Nigeria in Bouake in their semi-final on Wednesday.
