Ivory Coast open AFCON 2023 with 2-0 win over Guinea-Bissau

The home team won 2-0 after a lively and exciting opening ceremony that thrilled supporters at the Ebimpe Olympic Stadium in Abidjan.

The Africa Cup of Nations 2023 has started with an exciting match between Ivory Coast and Guinea-Bissau in Abidjan, the economic capital of the host country. Seko Fofana impressed the crowd with a remarkable goal which helped Ivory Coast secure a 2-0 victory.

Fofana, who plays for a team in Saudi Arabia, made a goal within just four minutes of the game starting. This made the fans who were in the stadium very happy on Saturday evening. The stadium is called Ebimpe Olympic Stadium.

The goal scored was excellent and could have secured a victory in most matches. However, the team "The Elephants" managed to score again in the second half, thanks to Jean-Philippe Krasso, securing all three points in the Group A match.

They were the stronger squad, even though they were playing against one of the less experienced teams in the competition. They are aiming to leverage their home field advantage to secure their third AFCON title.

Fofana stated that they have been eagerly anticipating this moment for a considerable period. They didn't succumb to any deception, they succeeded in the match, and despite not everything being faultless, they are immensely content.

We will continue working with humility and strive to rectify the small mistakes we made, but in my opinion, we performed admirably.

"We are delighted that we have provided an exciting experience for all those who came to witness it in person, as well as those who watched our performance on TV."

The hosts were let down by the fact that only 36,858 people went to the game despite the stadium having a capacity of 60,000. Tickets were available for prices ranging from 5,000 to 15,000 CFA francs (around $8-25).

Fofana stated that the stadium appeared to be packed and that they received fantastic encouragement.

The spectators present at the event enjoyed a lively and energetic beginning, with vibrant displays of colour and sound. The acclaimed Ivorian band, Magic System, performed the tournament's official song for an unforgettable performance.

The event also included talks from FIFA President Gianni Infantino, the head of African football Patrice Motsepe, and the experienced leader of the Ivory Coast, President Alassane Ouattara, who expressed his country's love for football by calling it "a football nation".

Their goal is to be the initial country hosting the event to win the championship since 2006 when Egypt defeated Ivory Coast in the final by penalty shootouts.

Supporters gathered along the path leading to the Alhassane Ouattara Olympic Stadium in the northern area of the city. The fans swarmed the team's bus as coach Jean-Louis Gasset announced that they have accomplished their goals, expressing a feeling of relief at their victory.

Gasset expressed that the primary objective was to emerge victorious in the match. He acknowledged that playing the first game of a competition in a crowded stadium can be challenging.

We faced a tough mental challenge, but we put in our best effort. Initially, the game started off great as we managed to score, but in general our performance was only okay.