AFCON: Elephants start on a positive

The Ivory Coast Elephants began their 2013 African Cup of Nations campaign on a high beating a hard fighting Togo 2-1 in their Group C opening match on Tuesday evening.

 

Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure and Arsenal’s Yao Gervinho each had a goal and an assist as the Elephants beat Togo.

 

Just after three minutes, Togo should have been ahead but striker Emmanuel Adebayor squandered a great opportunity with only the keeper to beat after a blunder from Kolo Toure.

 

However, the Ivorians got the grasp of the game with Yaya Toure opening the scores in the 7th minute beating the Togolese keeper with a deflected shot.

 

Toure almost got his and Ivory Coast’s second as the half wore on but his beauty of a shot came off the post.

 

Togo pulled back the equalizer just a minute to half time through Jonathan Ayite who struck in from a poorly defended corner.

 

After seemingly that the game would end in a stalemate, Gervinho pulled a rabbit from the hat and handed Ivory Coast the winner in the 88th minute tapping from a tight angle a Yaya Toure freekick.

 

The win now sees Ivory Coast top Group D