AFCON 2023: Wild celebrations in Abidjan after Ivory Coast’s late qualification to Round of 16 stage

Ivorians took to the streets to celebrate wildly after their team sealed a surprise qualification to the Round of 16 at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.

The crowd which included women and the aged trooped to the streets in their numbers to celebrate the unexpected turn of events.

The Elephants of Ivory Coast had nearly given up on the possibility of making it out of the group stages after their team were humiliated 4-0 by Equatorial Guinea.

However, Morocco's 1-0 victory over Zambia in San Pedro turned the tide in favour of the Elephants, securing their spot in the knockout phase as one of the best four third-placed teams.

Coupled with the defeat to Nigeria, the Ivorian Football Federation (FIF) terminated the contract of 70-year-old French coach Jean-Louis Gasset and his assistant Ghislain Printant. Gasset only managed one win beating Guinea Bissau by 2-0 in the opening fixture of the tournament.

The Elephants will now be led by former Ivorian midfielder Emerse Faé in the knockout stages where they will face Senegal in the Round of 16.

This is Korhogo where ????????DRC played Tanzania????????, but the Ivorians here were glued to their sets all through watching
????????Morocco vrs????????Zambia.

This was the reaction when the game ended and their Round of 16 qualification was confirmed????????????????#afcon2023 pic.twitter.com/YnaMhHHjx6

— George Addo Jnr (@addojunr) January 24, 2024