Sierra Leone has again caused a stunt at the Africa Cup. Six days after the draw against Algeria, the number 108 of the FIFA world ranking also kept Ivory Coast in a draw: 2-2. Sébastien Haller and Ibrahim Sangaré were important for Ivory Coast with a goal and an assist respectively, but the devil was in the tail. A blunder by goalkeeper Badra Ali Sangaré resulted in the equalizing goal and in an injury, meaning Ivory Coast ended the game with Serge Aurier as goalkeeper. With four points from two matches in Group E, Ivory Coast still has good papers to reach the next round. In Group F, Tunisia recorded a convincing 4-0 win over Mauritania to take the first three points.
Ivory Coast – Sierra Leone 2-2
Sierra Leone took several risks in their own penalty area in the opening phase and seemed to be presented with the bill after ten minutes: a foul by Umaru Bangura on Wilfried Zaha resulted in a penalty. Goalkeeper Mohamed Kamara of Sierra Leone, who also excelled in the opening match against Algeria (0-0), kept Franck Kessié’s penalty out of his goal. Sébastien Haller then offered Kessié another good chance, but again the star player of AC Milan was not focused. In the end, it was Haller himself who gave Ivory Coast the lead.
The Ajax striker was launched by a through ball from Zaha, took the ball in one smooth movement and appeared in front of Mohamed Kamara. He put the keeper on the wrong foot with a shot with the outside of the right foot: 1-0. Ivory Coast got off to a good start in the closing stages of the first half, when goalkeeper Badra Ali Sangaré triumphed in a one-on-one situation with Mohamed Buya Turay. Nine minutes after the break, Sierra Leone still tied the score. Musa Noah Kamara cut Eric Bailly out in the box and drove the ball hard into the left corner.
Ivory Coast increased the pressure gradually in the second half. Preparatory work by Haller and Ibrahim Sangaré resulted in the 2-1: Haller accelerated and served Sangaré to his right, after which the midfielder enabled teammate Nicolas Pépé to place the ball from distance into the left corner. Eighteen minutes before the end, the two Eredivisionists were taken to the side. Zaha then had several more chances to give Ivory Coast a bigger lead. They were expensive misses, as keeper Sangaré let the ball slip out of the hand while trying to prevent a corner kick, deep into stoppage time, allowing Alhaji Kamara to make it 2-2. The goalkeeper apparently suffered a serious injury in the incident, which left defender Serge Aurier under the bar for a while. Incidentally, Issa Kallon of SC Cambuur played in the final phase as a substitute for Sierra Leone.
Bizarre goalkeeper blunder costs Sangaré and Haller victory against Sierra Leone! ???? #AFCON2021 pic.twitter.com/U8jrBfDVTy
— ESPN NL (@ESPNnl) January 16, 2022
Tunisia – Mauritania 4-0
Tunisia, with Dutch-born Omar Rekik on the bench and on the field from the eightieth minute, started energetically and led 2-0 after eight minutes. The first goal came from Hamza Mathlouthi, who suddenly got the ball in the penalty area because Mauritania did not defend well. He opened the score with a diagonal swipe into the left corner. Wahbi Khazri doubled the margin when he received the ball in the penalty area from Anis Slimane and sought out the left corner.
A beautifully played attack resulted in Khazri’s 3-0 after the break and more than a minute later it even became 4-0. Khazri launched Seifeddine Jaziri, who deftly pushed the ball into the right corner. Just before time, Youssef Msakni shot the ball against the outstretched arm of Souleymane Karamoko, creating a chance for the 5-0. However, captain Ghaylen Chaaleli shot the penalty against the post. However, Tunisia has a spot in their own hands for the next round after the win.