The Ivorian national team staged a remarkable recovery on Wednesday night, coming from two goals down to beat Gabon 3-2 in their final Group F game.
The “Elephants,” who are the defending champions overturn a shaky start and finalize their position as the group’s leader.
Despite Gabon being already eliminated from the competition, they took a surprising early lead with goals from Guelor Kanga and Denis Bouanga within the first 21 minutes.
Okay News reports that the Ivorian side responded before the halftime break through Jean-Philippe Krasso, who converted a precise pass to reduce the deficit and shift the momentum of the match.
The second half featured an intensified effort from the Ivorian squad as they sought to reclaim their standing. Evann Guessand eventually leveled the scores with a towering header, while the late substitution of emerging talents further pressured the Gabonese defense. The comeback was finalized in stoppage time when Bazoumana Toure scored a dramatic winning goal, ensuring his side took all three points.
Following this victory, Ivory Coast concludes the group stage at the summit of Group F, ahead of Cameroon and Mozambique. While Gabon exits the tournament without a win, the Ivorian team moves into the Round of 16 with strengthened confidence as they prepare to face Burkina Faso in the next stage of the competition.
