Ivory Coast edge Guinea-Bissau in Africa Cup of Nations opener

Seko Fofana of Ivory Coast (center) leads his teammates in celebration after scoring against Guinea Bissau.[Courtesy,CAF Online]

Ivory Coast kicked off the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations on the front foot on Saturday night after edging out Guinea Bissau 2-0 at Olympic Stadium of Ebimpé in Abidjan.

Seko Fofana struck in the third minute to give the hosts the perfect start to the 34^th edition of the continental football games before Jean-Philipe Krasso displayed individual skill and brilliance to double the lead in the final half.

The win placed Ivory Coast at the top of Group A with three points and two goals as Guinea Bissau drops bottom of the pool.

The finals kicked off with pomp and color with African music stars led by Nigeria’s Yemi Alade entertaining the over 35,000 fans who also witnessed spectacular showcase of African heritage and diverse cultures.

In the game, Fofana shrugged off two defenders to strike a thunderous shot past a diving Guinea Bissau keeper for a 1-0 lead., a lead they defended until half time.

In the final half, it took Ivory Coast 13 minutes after the restart to double the lead after Krasso individually flicked the ball past the Guinea Bissau defenders twice before acrobatically volleying home a low shot for a 2-0 lead.

Action resumes on Sunday.