Ivory Coast send strong message to Nigeria with thumping destruction of Sierra Leone

Hosts of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON, Ivory Coast are set for the competition after completing their preparation on a high.

With just a week to kick off, Cote d’Ivoire thrashed Sierra Leone 5-1 in their final pre-AFCON friendly on Saturday. 

The Elephants find themselves in a tight Group A alongside one of the pre-tournament favourites, Nigeria’s Super Eagles. 

But the hosts do not look fazed by the task ahead following a brilliant preparation for the 2023 AFCON.

Ivory Coast hosted and thrashed the Leone Stars in their final preparatory match held at the Stade Laurent Pokou, with the Stars proving no match. 

A star-studded team led by Barcelona’s Franck Kessie, who was the skipper of the day, put on the style to destroy their visitors in the opening half. 

Goals from Ousmane Diomande, Kessie and Jonathan Bamba gave the Elephants a deserved and convincing 3-0 advantage at the break.

In the second 45, Ivory Coast extended their lead to 5-0 courtesy of goals from Jeremie Boga and Lazare Amani to ultimately seal the game.

However, Sierra Leone ensured the scoreline was more respectable when they pulled one back via Rodney Michael to make it 5-1.  

The emphatic victory was the third in a row for the Elephants, who scored a total of 16 goals and conceded just one goal in that period. 

Nigeria and Cote d’Ivoire will go head-to-head at the AFCON 2023 on January 18 in what is one of the games of the tournament.