Elephants battle Fennecs in q’final opener

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Ivory Coast take on Algeria in Saturday’s Women’s Africa Cup of Nations quarterfinal in Casablanca, with Reynold Pedros’s side seeking to build on a group-stage campaign that has announced them as one of the tournament’s emerging forces.

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The West Africans, appearing at WAFCON for the first time since 2014, topped Group B after a 2-1 victory over Tanzania at the Larbi Zaouli Stadium, with Safi Ouedraogo and Inès Konan on target.

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Ouedraogo opened the scoring in the 44th minute when she prodded home after Ruth Sery’s ball into the box was poorly cleared by the Tanzanian defence, the goal her second of the competition following an earlier strike in a 4-1 win over Burkina Faso in the Elephants’ opener.

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Konan added a second from the penalty spot in the 68th minute after Ouedraogo was fouled in the area, with Tanzania’s reply arriving too late through a stoppage-time penalty from Diana Msewa.

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Ivory Coast’s vibrant, front-foot style has impressed through the group stage, though they head into the last eight as outsiders against an Algeria side who have combined attacking menace with strong defensive organisation on their way to the quarterfinals.

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A place in the semifinals awaits the winner, with both sides eager to continue campaigns that have already exceeded expectations in Morocco.

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