Algeria through to AFCON semi after shootout win over Ivory Coast
Algeria needed a penalty shootout to beat Ivory Coast in the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-final after the match finished 1-1 after extra time.
Sofiane Feghouli gave Algeria the lead in the first half but Jonathan Kodjia finished superbly on the hour mark to take the match into extra-time.
Wilfried Bony and Serey Die missed in the shootout for Algeria to progress to a semi-final against Nigeria on Sunday.
Max Gradel came within inches of giving Ivory Coast the lead after five minutes but his curling shot was tipped onto the post by Rais M’Bolhi before Kodjia put the rebound wide.
Riyad Mahrez had a good chance at the other end after going round Mamadou Bagayoko with a superb feint but ended up shanking the ball wide of the far post.
Former West Ham midfielder Feghouli put Algeria ahead shortly after when Baghdad Bounedjah won the ball from Bagayoko and found Ramy Bensebaini on the wing. Feghouli was unmarked in the centre of the area and took down the cross before firing the ball into the back of the net.
Algeria had a chance to double their lead at the start of the second half when goalkeeper Sylvain Gbohouo took down Bounedjah. After confirmation from VAR, the penalty was given but Bounedjah slammed the ball onto the crossbar.
Ivory Coast went straight up the other end and hit the crossbar themselves. This time, Kodjia’s shot was deflected onto the woodwork by Aissa Mandi.
Kodjia levelled the score with 28 minutes remaining, though. Wilfried Zaha found the forward down the left, and the Aston Villa man cut in before firing past M’Bolhi.
Mahrez thought he had given Algeria the lead once again a few minutes later. His shot beat the goalkeeper but Bagayoko slid in to clear the ball off the line.
Islam Slimani was next for Algeria and he really should have scored the winner in the closing stages. Gbohouo came out his area and flattened Mahrez with a wild challenge. The ball fell nicely for Slimani but he did not get enough purchase on the shot and it did not even reach the open goal.
Ivory Coast were in the ascendancy at the start of half time and were denied a penalty by VAR. Gradel’s cross found Maxwel Cornet whose shot was blocked by Nottingham Forest midfielder Adlene Guedioura. The referee went to VAR but a corner was eventually given. The corner was headed out to Gradel who looped a shot onto the roof of the net.
Cheick Comara then came close on the verge of extra-time half time when a Gradel corner fell to him after a scramble. His backheel was cleared off the line by Mehdi Zeffane.
The second half came and went with very little of note. A Cornet cross was cleared before Slimani came close at the other end.
Algeria were given a chance with a free-kick on the edge of the box but substitute Andy Delort sent the ball just wide of the far post.
Bony missed his penalty but Gradel found the top corner to force Algeria to take a fifth spot-kick. Youcef Belaili stepped up and hit the post, but Die hit the woodwork with his spot-kick to send Algeria into the semi-final.
