The Ivory Coast football team lost in the quarter-finals of the Olympic tournament against Spain, after extra time, this Saturday, July 31 at Miyagi Stadium (5-2). A cruel elimination for Ivorians who led twice in this match.
Within a minute, the Ivory Coast received a historic qualification for the last four in the football Olympic tournament. But the Ivorians, who led 2-1 to Spain in the quarter-finals, conceded the equalizer in the 93rd minute, before falling to extra time (5-2).
But before the extra 30 minutes, Soualiho Haidara’s men made more than equal terms with a team from La Roja that has six semi-finalists in Euro 2021.
Bailly chiaroscuro Ivorian Manchester United defender Eric Bailly first opened the scoring from a corner to start his team (0-1, 10th). He then could not do anything on the Spanish equalizer: Dani Olmo then took advantage of a bad pass from the chest on the right side Wilfried Singo for his goalkeeper Eliezer Ira Tape (1-1, 30th).
In the second period, Bailly and his teammates were more beaten, but the Spanish team was in the end very little dangerous until the rescue of Eliezer Ira Tape’s foot against Mikel Oyarzabal (88th). In the process, Ivorian captain Max-Alain Gradel intends to offer his team the victory thanks to his off-center attack on the left side, poorly negotiated by Unai Simon (1-2, 90th).
But Eric Bailly, who had taken the light at the start of the match, will drop. First by not clearing with a head a ball that dragged in the area and landed at the feet of the incoming Rafael Mir (2-2, 93rd).
Then, at the start of extra time, when he deflected the ball with his hand on a corner: the referee watched the video and whistled a penalty that Oyarzabal did not miss (3-2, 98th).
The elephants leave Japan with their heads high A big blow to the head of Eric Bailly and his teammates. Ivory Coast stunned and then conceded two new goals from Wolverhampton striker Rafael Mir, author of a 30-minute hat-trick (117th, 120th).
Côte d’Ivoire therefore leaves the Olympics in the quarter-finals, as in 2008, after still achieving good performances by not losing to Brazil, Germany and Spain in regular time.
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