Toure vows to inspire Ivory Cote d’ Ivoire to win 2015 AFCON

Despite his team’s 1-1 draw against Guinea, Yaya Toure
believes Ivory Coast can live up to its potential by winning the
Africa Cup of Nations this year for the first time since 1992.
The Elephants boasted of one of the most experienced squads
in Equatorial Guinea despite Didier Drogba’s international
retirement, with the likes of Kolo Toure, Wilfried Bony and
Gervinho who was given the marching order.
And Yaya Toure was confident they will improve on their
quarter-final exit at the hands of eventual winners Nigeria two
years ago in South Africa.
“We have been chasing this trophy for a few years now, and
we’ve not got it,” he told Goal. “This year, it’s time again to
try to do it, and I hope that, at long last, we have it in us.
“We can do it. I am fighting for it.”
Guinea matched Cote d’Ivoire blow-for-blow as they played to
a 1-1 draw in both sides’ opening 2015 CAF African Cup of
Nations, Group D match at the Estadio De Malabo
yesterdaynight with goals from Guinea’s Mohamed Yattara
and Seydou Doumbia of Cote d’ Ivoire.
It was a sloppy opening 15 minutes with both teams
squandering possession in the final third with poor passing.
The first chance on goal only came in the 17th minute after a
great individual run by Cote d’Ivoire’s Gervinho who broke
from his own half and saw his attempt from 14-yards out
strike the underside of the crossbar.
On the half hour mark Gervinho was in the thick of the action
again when he got on the end of a ball over the top of the
Guinea defence, but saw his volley from close range brilliantly
saved by the keeper.
Six minutes later Guinea took the lead after the Elephants
failed to clear a cross from the right which allowed Mohamed
Yattara to pounce on the loose ball and fire into the roof of
the net from eight-yards out, 1-0.
Cote d’Ivoire controlled the play for the remainder of the half,
but could not cancel out Guinea’s opener before the break.
The Elephants started the second half positively and came
close to reducing the deficit four minutes after the restart, but
a fingertip save from the Guinea keeper denied Wilfried Bony
from just outside the box.
Cote d’Ivoire suffered a massive set-back in the 58th minute
when Gervinho was shown a straight red card by referee
Mehdi Abid Charef after raising his hands to the face of a
Guinea defender.
Three minutes later Guinea came close to doubling their lead
when a 20-yard shot from shot Ibrahima Traore struck the
crossbar.
Despite being a man down the Elephants continued to push
forward and were rewarded for their efforts in the 72nd minute
after Seydou Doumbia concluded a swift passing move with a
clinical finish from 12-yards out, 1-1.
Neither side could go on to find a winner as they shared the
spoils in Group D’s opening game.