Defending champions Senegal are heading home after a 5-4 penalty defeat to Cote d’Ivoire in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations Round of 16 tie at Stade Charles Konan Banny de Yamoussoukro on Monday night.
While the Terenga Lions head home licking their wounds, the Elephants, who only reached the stage as one of the four best third-placed teams, progressed to the quarterfinals, where they will take on the winners of Tuesday’s Round of 16 encounter between Burkina Faso and Mali on Saturday, another West African showdown.
Senegal were hugely favoured by bookmakers to carry the day due to their 100% record of the group stage, but history was not in their favour, as the Elephants, who went on rampage after conceding, have a better head-to-head record.
