Ivory Coast Put One Foot In Brazil

[Folami David]

Ivory Coast put one foot in Brazil after they defeated Senegal 3-1 at home in their first leg playoff qualifier for the 2014 Fifa World Cup.
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Goals by Didier Drogba and Solomon Kalou, sandwiching a Lamine Sané own goal, gave the Elephants a 3-0 lead before Papiss Cisse got a vital away goal for Senegal late on in the match.
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The home side got a dream start only four minutes into the tie when Gervinho was brought down inside the box and the referee awarded a spot kick to the Elephants. Drogba was entrusted with the responsibility of opening the scoring from the penalty and he duly obliged as he sent Senegal keeper Bouna Coundoul the wrong way to make it 1-0.
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The Ivoirians were running riot on the Senegalese defence early on the match. Kalou broke out on a counter attack and unleashed Gervinho on the left flank and the former Arsenal man saw his shot deflect off Senegalese defender Lamine Sané and wrong-foot Coundoul to make it 2-0 in the 14th minute.
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Five minutes before the interval, Gervinho broke free and rounded off the keeper but then missed a huge chance as his shot was cleared off the line by a defender, although he was signalled for offside by the officials.
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Minutes later, on the stroke of halftime, Gervinho once again danced through the Senegal defence and found Yaya Tour inside the box, but the Manchester City stalwart overcooked his attempt from close range as it sailed over the bar.

[Shola Sholaz]

I believe Ivory Coast has qualified already because they did very well in yesterday's game. The goals were superb!