Ivory Coast journalist's jubilant dance captures national joy as Elephants beat Senegal, advancing to AFCON quarterfinals in dramatic shootout.
Hosts Ivory Coast scripted a night of high drama and raw emotions as they edged past reigning champions Senegal in a nail-biting penalty shootout, clinching a coveted spot in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals.
The city of Yamoussoukro transformed into a cauldron of ecstasy as the match, tied at 1-1 after extra time, saw Franck Kessie emerge as the hero.
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The former Barcelona midfidler's unerring strike from the spot during the dying minutes of regulation time and the decisive winning penalty breathed life into the hosts' campaign, especially after a disheartening group-stage performance marked by two defeats.
In the midst of this footballing carousel, a moment of pure, unscripted joy caught the eye of everyone present.
An Ivorian journalist, stationed at the media tribune, couldn't contain his jubilation as the final whistle blew. In an instinctive expression of elation, he broke into a spontaneous dance, his shirt discarded, epitomizing the raw emotion that football, the beautiful game, can evoke.
The match, a rollercoaster of emotions, saw Cote d’Ivoire's midfielder, Jean-Michael Seri, clinch the 'Man of the Match' title.
Seri's post-match reflections encapsulated the team's journey on the night.
"We did not start the match well, and after we conceded the goal, we responded to that, and we took control of the match, with a team performance. It doesn’t matter how we qualified, what matters is that we qualified,” he remarked.
Seri further added, “We were just calm. At halftime, the coach asked us to continue in the same way. We were very solid and united and fought for our nation. The important thing is that we qualified for the quarter-finals. Côte d’Ivoire qualified for the next round, and this is the most important thing for me."
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The exit of the defending champions paves the way for an unpredictable and exhilarating road ahead.
The spotlight now turns to the Elephants' upcoming quarter-final clash, which will see them face off against either Mali or Burkina Faso, setting the stage for another chapter in this enthralling tournament.
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