The Ivory Coast’s AFCON dreams are in jeopardy after their devastating 4-0 defeat against Equatorial Guinea, one of the tournament’s surprise packages.
With just three points in as many games, the two-time champions now rely on other results to progress from the group stages as one of the best four third-placed teams out of six. The loss was a bitter pill to swallow for Ivory Coast, who were outclassed by a resurgent Equatorial Guinea side.
To make matters worse, four Premier League stars, including Willy Boly, Serge Aurier, Ibrahim Sangare, and Simon Adingra, could be on their way back home early. However, this presents an opportunity for Nottingham Forest, who are keeping an eye on Boly, Aurier, and Sangare. Boly, in particular, is a valuable asset, having played under new manager Nuno Espirito Santo at Wolves. Brighton would also be fortunate to have Adingra back early, as his five goals and three assists have made him a key player in their forward line. Meanwhile, Hull City have missed the services of Jean Michael Seri in the Championship, with Liam Rosenior’s side winning just one of their five games without him.
Overall, Ivory Coast’s underwhelming performance in the tournament is a cause for concern, especially given their four-time AFCON finalist status.
