Ivory Coast overwhelmed Guinea in the closing stages to triumph 5-0 in an African Nations Cup quarter-final Sunday and equal the record winning margin for the tournament.
The 'Elephants' led 1-0 at half-time thanks to a Kader Keita goal and
captain Didier Drogba, Salomon Kalou (twice) and Bakary Kone were on target as
Guinea fell apart.
Ivory Coast thrashed Ethiopia 6-1 in the group phase of the 1970 Nations
Cup in Sudan and although strongly fancied to defeat Guinea, they could hardly
have imagined winning so comfortably.
Next up for Ivory Coast are either defending champions Egypt or dark horses
Angola in the semi-finals on Thursday with the odds favouring a second
consecutive appeearance in the final for Drogba and his stars.
Guinea were even worse off with suspended captain and playmaker Pascal
Feindouno joined on the sidelines by central defender Dianbobo Balde, who
failed a fitness test on a hamstring strain.
The first Nations Cup clash between the countries drew a big crowd to the
Essipong Stadium in the south-west town and there was one minute of silence in
honour of the late son of former Ivorian coach Uli Stielike before play began.
Stielike had to quit as coach just two weeks before the tournament kicked
off after his son lapsed into a coma and he was replaced by Frenchman Gerard
Gili.
Given no chance of success, Guinea held out for 25 minutes before a
careless clearance from veteran goalkeeper Kemoko Camara gifted a goal to
Kader Keita from French champions Lyon.
Fullback Ibrahim Camara was caught out by the clearance and Keita darted in
to beat the goalkeeper at his near post and give the 'Elephants' the lead with
his second goal of the tournament.
Inspirational leader Drogba was injured twice in quick succession, but
recovered to see fellow striker Aruna Dindane blaze wide with the Guinea
defence in disarray.
A scrappy first half ended in a surge of excitement as Salomon Kalou,
Dindane, Keita and Drogba went close at one end while largely idle Ivorian
goalkeeper Boubacar Barry got down smartly to hold an Ismael Bangoura shot.
Guinea coach Robert Nouzaret, a Frenchman who has twice coached Ivory
Coast, made the first change of the match 15 minutes into the second half,
sending on Karamoko Cisse in place of veteran striker Souleymane Youla.
The Ivorians had a scare soon after as a free kick was pushed to Daouda
Jabi, whose shot finished just off target with Barry hurting himself while
trying to gather the ball.
However, with 70 minutes gone the 'Elephants' did score again as 2006
African Footballer of the Year Drogba latched on to a Arthur Boka pass and
stroked the ball wide of Camara into the far corner of the net.
Drogba turned creator soon after, setting up Kalou for the simplest of
goals as the Chelsea striker rounded the Guinean goalkeeper and tapped the
ball over the line with no defender close.
Demoralised Guinea were leaving huge gaps in defence and Kalou and
substitute Kone found the net in the closing stages.
