Didier Drogba Joins Ivory Coast Celebrations After Senegal Win, Describes Players as Lions

• Didier Drogba has reacted to Ivory Coast's win over Senegal
• The AFCON hosts eliminated the champions on penalties
• Ivory Coast are through to the last eight of the tournament

Chelsea legend Didier Drogba could not hide his joy after Ivory Coast overcame a disastrous group stage display to eliminate African champions Senegal at AFCON 2023.

Ivory Coast were handed a lifeline in the tournament after Morocco defeated Zambia in the last game of the first round. The Elephants were on the brink of elimination following their 4-0 thrashing by Equatorial Guinea.

A game that left the former Ivory Coast captain in a state of shock as he watched from the Alassane Outarra Stadium a week ago.

However, despite trialling from an early goal from Habib Diallo, Franck Kessie - a second-half substitute - scored late from the spot to force the game into extra time.

Shell-shocked hosts Ivory Coast await AFCON fate

Football

After 120 minutes of action, the Saudi-based star netted the winner with Moussa Niakhite missing the third spot-kick for Senegal.

"It is spoiled," Drogba first wrote on X, formerly Twitter after Senegal's penalty miss. "This is what it’s all about!!!!!!! Well done elephants!!! You fought like lions," he added on social media after the game.

Ivory Coast will now wait for the winner of the game between Mali and Burkina Faso for a place in the semi-final, as reported by ESPN.

Ivory Coast eliminate Senegal from AFCON

Earlier, Sports Brief reported that hosts Ivory Coast defeated Senegal at the Africa Cup of Nations on Monday, knocking out the reigning champions on penalties in the last 16 to keep their hopes of winning the title on home soil alive.

A week ago, it looked as if the Ivorians were set for a humiliating group-stage exit from their own AFCON, but now they are into the quarter-finals after beating Senegal 5-4 on penalties following a tie that finished 1-1 at the end of extra time.

The Elephants scraped into the knockout phase with the worst record of the four best third-placed sides to advance, after finishing the first round with a humiliating 4-0 loss to Equatorial Guinea, their heaviest ever home defeat.