In what can be described as the tournament’s most intense match, a 10-man Ivory Coast staged a remarkable comeback with goals in the 90th and 122nd minutes, eliminating Mali.
Despite a fervent home crowd, Mali dominated early on, and the visitors had two significant penalty appeals dismissed within the first 10 minutes.
Fortune favored Mali when they were granted a penalty for a last-ditch tackle in the Ivorian box. However, Adama Traoré’s tame effort was saved, maintaining the scoreline.
Ivory Coast faced adversity when Odilon Kossounou received his second yellow card in the opening 45 minutes.
The home side’s resilience waned, and in the final 20 minutes, Mali took the lead through Nene Dorgeles, stunning the home crowd.
However, Ivory Coast, seemingly on the brink of elimination, orchestrated a late turnaround. Simon Adingra dramatically leveled the score in the dying minutes, forcing the game into extra time.
As the prospect of penalties loomed, Oumar Diakité emerged as the hero, securing a dramatic 122nd-minute winner and propelling Ivory Coast into the semifinals in sensational fashion.
