JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, Jun 4 – French coach Jean-Louis Gasset made a winning debut as boss of the Ivory Coast on Friday when the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations hosts beat Zambia 3-1 in a Group H opener in Yamoussoukro. Ibrahim Sangare netted a third goal on 89 minutes for the now rampant home team before Leicester City forward Patson Daka claimed a consolation goal in added time. The 68-year-old faces the major challenge of guiding the Ivory Coast to a third Cup of Nations title, knowing no hosts have achieved that feat since Egypt in 2006. Zambia play the Comoros in Lusaka on June 7 in a match likely to have a major bearing on which nation accompanies the Ivory Coast to the finals next June and July. Then came the Ngwenya thunderbolt, which thrilled the visitors and left Togo disappointed as this was theoretically the easiest of their six fixtures.

Source: Daily Nation June 04, 2022 05:46 UTC