Ivory Coast 1-0 Mozambique: Amad gets AFCON holders off to victorious start

Manchester United’s Amad Diallo scored the winner as Ivory Coast began their defence of the Africa Cup of Nations title with a deserved 1-0 victory over Mozambique.

Emerse Fae’s team, who are looking to become the first back-to-back champions at AFCON since Egypt won three straight titles from 2006 to 2010, were in control throughout the 90 minutes in Marrakech.

But they were made to settle for a single goal, which came when Amad latched onto Franck Kessie’s knock-down to steer into the bottom-left corner after 49 minutes.

The holders had failed to make their superiority count in the first period, with Yan Diomande seeing a penalty appeal waved away before Ghislain Konan miscued following a solo run from Amad on the right flank.

Mozambique’s Ernan Siluane also made a scrambling save to deny Kessie, who later planted a close-range header wide of a glaring goal shortly after Amad opened the scoring.

Vakoun Bayo also wasted a good headed opportunity and saw another attempt cleared off the line by Guima in the teeming rain, as Ivory Coast leapt out in front in Group F, which also contains Cameroon and Gabon.

Data Debrief: Another strong start for Ivory Coast

Ivory Coast have made a habit of starting strongly at AFCON, and they are now unbeaten in their last 14 opening matches at the tournament (nine wins, five draws), last losing on matchday one in 1996 (0-2 versus Ghana).

They thoroughly deserved Wednesday’s victory, having fired off 15 shots with an expected goals value of 1.26, compared to Mozambique having four shots and 0.24 xG.

Mozambique, meanwhile, have never won in 16 matches at AFCON (four draws, 12 defeats) and have never even kept a clean sheet.

No other team has played as many matches at the tournament without ever tasting victory.