Côte d’Ivoire began the match with relentless determination, imposing themselves from the opening whistle in this West African derby. Their aggressive high press quickly suffocated Burkina Faso, who struggled to cope in the early stages. The Stallions’ frustration was evident after just five minutes when Adamo Nagalo was booked for a heavy challenge on Amad Diallo.
Sustained pressure paid off in the 20th minute as Côte d’Ivoire took the lead through their standout performer of the tournament. Amad Diallo latched onto a perfectly weighted pass from Yan Diomandé and delicately lobbed goalkeeper Hervé Koffi to put the Elephants ahead.
Twelve minutes later, the roles were reversed. Diallo turned provider, setting up Diomandé to double the advantage in the 32nd minute. Côte d’Ivoire dominated the first half from start to finish, with Burkina Faso’s only notable moment coming when Dango Ouattara struck the post.
Côte d’Ivoire into the quarterfinals
The tempo dropped after the break as Emerse Faé’s side managed their lead rather than pressing forward. This allowed Burkina Faso to grow into the game and create a handful of chances, but they were unable to break through the well-organized Ivorian defense.
Forced to commit numbers forward in search of a lifeline, Burkina Faso left themselves exposed late on. Their resistance was finally broken in the 87th minute when substitute Bazoumana Touré sealed the result on the counter-attack, confirming a 3–0 victory for the Elephants.
Côte d’Ivoire will now face Egypt in the quarterfinals on Saturday at 19:00 GMT in Agadir, with a place in the semifinals at stake.
