Ivory Coast qualify for WAFCON quarter-finals after getting past Tanzania

After just a few minutes of play, Ivory Coast thought they had opened the scoring through a follow-up from Rosemonde Kouassi after Rebecca Elloh’s shot had been parried by the Tanzanian goalkeeper (8th minute). However, the Washington Spirit striker was flagged for offside. 

Then it was Nsira Ouedraogo’s turn to try her luck with a low shot that was saved by Najat Idrisa (16th minute). Played in by Ouedraogo, Grace Sery burst into the centre and controlled the ball perfectly, but was denied by the opposing goalkeeper’s timely save (20th minute). 

It was Ouedraogo again who tried her luck with a shot from the edge of the box, a floating effort that flew just wide (30th min). She then had another go with a header at the far post, but Idrisa was there again to tip it away for a corner (38th minute).

Les Elephants dominated possession and eventually broke the deadlock. From a long cross by Sery, Ines Konan laid the ball back for Ouedraogo, who fired a first-time volley with the tip of her left foot under the crossbar. A goal that capped off their unrivalled dominance: 54 per cent possession, 7 shots, 4 on target and 5 corners, compared to 46 per cent possession and just one shot off target.

Ouedraogo everywhere

After the break, Ivory Coast maintained the same tempo and missed a chance to double their lead: played in well down the right by Konan, Ouedraogo’s shot was too flat in front of Idrisa. The goalkeeper gathered the ball with ease (49th min). Just before that, it was she who had driven into the centre of the pitch before winning a good free-kick.

Tanzania tried to get back into the game and Anastazia Katunzi took her chance from the centre after driving forward down the middle. But Aramatou Diakhité gathered it with ease (58th minute). 

The Ivorian goalkeeper made another impressive save from a Tanzanian corner taken inwards, which she had to parry twice before gathering (61st minute). Then Ouedraogo, once again, won a penalty after being brought down in the box during another solo run. Konan converted from the penalty spot, opening her foot wide to wrong-foot Idrisa. 

The match was halted for a long time following a head-to-head collision between Ouedraogo and Elizabeth Chenge. Both players eventually got back to their feet, and the young Ivorian goalscorer finished the match with a long bandage around her head (81').

Despite this, Ouedraogo unleashed a powerful shot from the edge of the box, forcing Idrisa to make a two-handed save (90+3). In the dying moments of the match, Tanzania pulled one back from the penalty spot following a foul by Anastasie Gbehi on Bahati Steven, after the incident was reviewed by VAR. From the penalty spot, Diana Msewa fired home powerfully to make it 1–2 (90+9).

With this latest victory, the Ivorians continue their incredible run since Reynald Pedros took charge: 15 matches, 11 wins, three draws and one defeat in the Africa Cup of Nations play-off against Senegal on penalties. Most importantly, they have qualified for the quarter-finals of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations for the second time in their history, having finished third in the 2014 edition.

Ivory Coast had not qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations since then. They will face Algeria in the quarter-finals on Saturday. Tanzania, meanwhile, finished third in Group B and are therefore out of the tournament, despite their impressive victory over South Africa in their opening match.

View the match stats on Flashscore.