Seko Fofana’s stunning early goal set hosts Ivory Coast on the way to a 2-0 win over Guinea-Bissau before a euphoric crowd as the Africa Cup of Nations 2023 kicked off in host country’s economic capital Abidjan.
Saudi-based Fofana scored inside four minutes to the delight of the home fans on Saturday night at the Ebimpe Olympic Stadium.
It was a goal worthy of winning almost any game but it was followed by Jean-Philippe Krasso’s second-half strike as the Elephants claimed all three points in the Group A encounter.
They were the better team, albeit against one of the tournament’s minnows, as they look to make the most of home advantage to win a third AFCON crown.
“We have been waiting for this moment for a very long time. We didn’t fall into any trap, we won the game, and even if not everything was perfect we are very pleased,” said Fofana.
“We will keep working humbly and try to correct the little errors we made, but I thought we played well.
“We are very pleased to have given everyone who came here something to shout about, as well as everyone who watched us on television.”
One source of disappointment for the hosts is that just 36,858 fans attended the game inside a 60,000-seat stadium, with tickets being sold for between 5,000 and 15,000 CFA francs ($8-25).
