Algeria will face Super Eagles of Nigeria in the semifinal at the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations after beating Ivory Coast on penalties in the quarter finals.
The game went into extra time and penalties after a 1-1 draw with goals from Sofiane Feghouli and Jonathan Kodjia after 120 minutes of play.
Ivory Coast started the game on a bright note as they put so much pressure on Belmadi’s men but failed to find the back of the net.
Algeria blew a 1-0 lead and a penalty in regulation time before scraping past Ivory Coast in a shootout to make the semifinals at the African Cup of Nations on Thursday.
The dramatic shootout, which Algeria won 4-3, capped a pulsating quarterfinal.
Wilfried Bony had his penalty saved in the shootout by Rais Mbolhi to give Algeria the advantage. But Youcef Belaili hit the post with a spot kick that would have won it for the Algerians.
Straight after, Ivory Coast captain Serey Die had to score to send the shootout to sudden death, and he cannoned his penalty off the same post to finally seal victory for the Algerians.
Die fell back flat on his back and put his hands over his face after his miss as the Algerians sprinted to the end of the field to celebrate with Mbolhi.
Algeria led in regulation after Sofiane Feghouli’s goal in the 20th minute. Striker Baghdad Bounedjah missed a penalty for Algeria soon after halftime, and Jonathan Kodjia equalized for Ivory Coast.
Ivory Coast level things up in the 62nd minute. Crystal Palace star Wilfried Zaha surges forward from the halfway line and finds Jonathan Kodjia out on the left. He dribbles past Djamel Benlamri, cuts inside and then blasts a shot past keeper Rais M’Bolhi.
Bounedjah won the penalty himself when he was taken out by Ivory Coast goalkeeper Sylvain Gbohouo. With the chance to give Algeria a 2-0 lead, he hit his penalty high down the middle, and it clipped the crossbar and went over.
Ivory Coast took advantage.
Wilfried Zaha made a surging run and found Kodjia on the right. He cut in and put his shot in the bottom corner.
Bounedjah was substituted in the second half and spent the rest of the game in tears on the bench, fearing his miss had cost Algeria a place in the last four.
It didn’t, and Algeria still has the chance to win a second African title and first since 1990.
Algeria will play Nigeria in Sunday’s semifinals. Senegal is the other team already in the semis and will face the winner of the last quarter between Tunisia and Madagascar.
Both teams didn’t create a clear cut chance in the first 15 minutes of extra time but The Elephants started the second 15 minutes on a good note after a good wing play from Maxwell Cornet, who dribbled past Djamel Benlamri down the right but his resulting cross was met by an Algerian defender who almost puts it into his own net.
Islam Slimani almost puts Algeria into the Africa Cup of Nations semi-final five minutes left. It was a great ball into the box and the Leicester striker gets a decent head onto it, which Gbohouo parries away.
Algeria win the penalty shootout 3-4 and will face Nigeria in the semi-finals on Sunday.
Lineup
Ivory Coast: Sylvain Gbohouo, Mamadou Bagayoko, Ismaël Traoré, Wilfried Kanon, Wonlo Coulibaly, Franck Kessié, Ibrahim Sangaré, Serey Dié, Wilfried Zaha, Jonathan Kodjia, Max Gradel.
Algeria: Raïs M’Bolhi, Youcef Atal, Aïssa Mandi, Djamel Benlamri, Ramy Bensebaini, Adlène Guédioura, Riyad Mahrez, Sofiane Feghouli, Ismaël Bennacer, Youcef Belaïli, Baghdad Bounedjah.
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