Ivory Coast meet Egypt in 2025 AFCON quarters after easing by Burkina Faso

Holders Ivory Coast bushed Burkina Faso 3-0 successful the past 16 of the Africa Cup of Nations and present look Egypt successful the quarterfinals.

Manchester United winger Amad Diallo starred arsenic Ivory Coast bushed Burkina Faso 3-0 connected Monday and became the archetypal Africa Cup of Nations defending champions to scope the quarterfinals since 2010.

Diallo struck the opening extremity and created the 2nd for Yan Diomande earlier half-time. Substitute Bazoumana Toure completed the scoring successful the closing minutes successful Marrakesh.

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Ivory Coast present question southbound to the Moroccan coastal metropolis of Agadir, wherever they volition look grounds seven-time champions Egypt connected Saturday for a semifinal place.

Since Egypt successfully defended the rubric successful Angola 16 years ago, 7 rubric holders person failed to scope the past eight.

Cameroon and Senegal made last-16 exits; Zambia, Ivory Coast and Algeria were eliminated aft the radical stage; and Egypt and Nigeria failed to suffice for the tournament.

Burkinabe defender Adamo Nagalo was yellow-carded aft conscionable 5 minutes for fouling Diallo. However, the Red Devil disappointed with the resulting free-kick, firing embarrassingly wide.

Ivory Coast were dominating possession, and skipper Franck Kessie was not acold disconnected people erstwhile helium tried to steer a changeable into the extortion of the net.

There was a consciousness of inevitability erstwhile the title-holders went up connected 20 minutes. Diallo powered his mode past respective defenders earlier striking the shot beyond goalkeeper Herve Koffi.

Burkina Faso wanted the extremity disallowed, claiming Nagalo had been assemblage checked by Evann Guessand, but a VAR reappraisal confirmed the determination of the Sudanese referee to grant it.

Ivory Coast’s guardant Bazoumana Toure celebrates scoring the team’s 3rd extremity during the Africa Cup of Nations circular of 16 lucifer against Burkina Faso [Franck Fife/AFP]

Such was the power of the Ivorians that it came arsenic nary astonishment erstwhile they accrued their pb connected 32 minutes connected a cold, adust nighttime astatine the foothills of the Atlas upland range.

Diallo was the supplier this time, passing the shot crossed the container to 19-year-old Diomande, whose superbly bent changeable gave Koffi nary accidental arsenic it flew into the near corner.

In a uncommon raid, Burkina Faso astir halved the shortage arsenic Brentford striker Dango Ouattara chopped successful from the close and struck the basal of the post. Relieved goalkeeper Yahia Fofana grasped the rebound.

Burkina Faso manager Brama Traore took disconnected Nagalo arsenic half-time approached, replacing him with midfielder Blati Toure. Another change, during the break, saw Georgi Minoungou travel connected for striker Lassina Traore.

Starved of possession successful the opening 45 minutes, Burkina Faso had much occurrence erstwhile play resumed and came adjacent to scoring connected the hr mark.

Ouattara connected with a debased cross, and Fofana reacted swiftly astatine his adjacent station to propulsion the shot distant from danger.

Burkina Faso introduced Sunderland striker Bertrand Traore with 20 minutes remaining. His AFCON debut came successful 2012 arsenic a 16-year-old, and helium is competing astatine the tourney a sixth time.

An Ivorian counterattack offered unmarked Diallo a large accidental to people again, but Koffi utilized his limb to artifact a close-range changeable astatine the disbursal of a corner.

Substitute Toure scored his 2nd extremity successful arsenic galore matches erstwhile helium ran from his ain fractional connected 87 minutes, past slammed the shot past Koffi.