The hosts move on. Ivory Coast, in a dramatic game, secured a place in the semi-finals of the AFCON

Today, on February 3, as part of the quarterfinals of the African Cup of Nations, the national teams of Mali and Ivory Coast faced each other.

Mali triumphed over Burkina Faso in the previous stage and had a strong start in today's match. Active actions near the opponent's goal resulted in a penalty, but Adama Traore failed to outplay the Ivory Coast goalkeeper. The true anti-hero for the tournament hosts became Bayer Leverkusen's defender, Odilon Kossounou. Firstly, he conceded a penalty into his own net, and just before the halftime whistle, he received his second yellow card, leaving his teammates in the minority.

After the break, Mali played even more boldly and had good opportunities to take the lead. Their efforts paid off in the 71st minute when Nene, who came on as a substitute, twisted past several opponents and delivered an irresistible strike into the hosts' goal. When the spectators in the stands were already saying goodbye to their hopes, the Ivorians managed to equalize and take the game into overtime. Luck was on their side today, as in the final seconds of extra time, the hosts snatched the victory and secured a spot in the semifinals.

Mali - Ivory Coast — 1:2

Goal: Nene 71 — Adingra 90, Diakite 120+2.

Missed penalty: Adama Traore 18 (Mali)

Red card: Kossounou 43 (second yellow).

It's worth mentioning that Ivory Coast will compete against the Democratic Republic of the Congo for a place in the final. The match is scheduled for Wednesday, February 7.