Amad Diallo, a winger for Manchester United, led the Ivory Coast to victory over Burkinabe 3-0 on Monday, making them the first African Cup of Nations defending champions since 2010.
Before half-time, Diallo scored the opening goal and Yan Diomande’s second. In Marrakech’s final minutes, substitute Bazoumana Toure put the finishing touches on the score.
Ivory Coast will now travel south to Agadir, Morocco, to take on Egypt in the semi-finals on Saturday.
Seven title holders have failed to make the last eight since Egypt successfully defended the title in Angola 16 years ago.
After the group stage, Egypt and Nigeria failed to qualify for the tournament, and Senegal and Cameroon and Senegal made last-16 exits, while Zambia, Ivory Coast, and Algeria were eliminated.
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After just five minutes of fouling Diallo, Burkinabe defender Adamo Nagalo was sent yellow. The Red Devil, however, was disappointed with the resultant free kick, which aimed embarrassingly wide.
When Franck Kessie attempted to direct a shot into the roof of the net, the Ivory Coast were occupying the lead.
The title-holders advanced 20 minutes later with a sense of inevitability. Before striking the ball past goalkeeper Herve Koffi, Diallo swung his way past several defenders.
A VAR review confirmed the Sudanese referee’s decision to grant the goal, despite Burkinabe claiming Nagalo had been body checked by Evann Guessand and Evann Guessand.
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The Ivorians’ dominance was so great that it was surprising when they jumped on top 32 minutes, at the foot of the Atlas mountain range, on a cold, dry night, at the foot of the Atlas mountains.
This time, Diallo provided the service. Diomande, 19, was given no chance when he passed the ball across the box as it flew into the left corner with a superbly bent shot.
Burkinabe almost nearly halved the amount in a eponymous raid.
deficit as Brentford’s Dango Ouattara struck the base of the post from the right. Yahia Fofana, a relief goalkeeper, grabbed the rebound.
As half-time approached, Burkinabe coach Brama Traore replaced Nagalo with midfielder Blati Toure. Georgi Minoungou replaced Lassina Traore in a different substitution during the break.
The Burkinabe had more success when play resumed and almost scored on the hour mark despite being out of possession for the first 45 minutes.
Fofana quickly reacted at his near post as Ouattara connected with a low cross to save the ball from danger.
With 20 minutes left, Burkinabe Sunderland’s Bertrand Traore was introduced. He made his AFCON debut in 2012 as a 16-year-old, and he is now taking the tournament six times.
Diallo had a fantastic chance to score again thanks to an Ivorian counterattack, but Koffi used his leg to prevent a corner with a close-range shot.
Source: Channels TV
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