Africa Sports, Ivory Coast champions!
MTN Ligue 1: Super Division
On Sunday the ninth and second last day of this
second section of the Ivorian Championship took place and AFAD de Djékanou hosted
the Aiglons behind closed doors at the Stade Félix Houphouet-Boigny.
Reduced to ten after the expulsion of their
goalkeeper, Cissé Abdul Karim on the 25th minute of play, Toto Nobile’s men
were defeated by the Académiciens 2-1.
This defeat could have kept the suspense alive
until the final day, but the only real rival to the Aiglons, SOA, were defeated
by the Magnans d’Adjamé on the same score of 2-1 at the Parc des Sports de
Treichville.
Africa Sports d’Abidjan therefore win the
seventeenth national title of their history, three years after their last win.
Their Italian coach Toto Nobile was already at
the head of the Green and Red back when the team won in 2007 and 2008.
The third encounter of day nine saw Séwé Sport and
ASEC Mimosas lock horns at the Stade Robert Champroux.
At the end of a pretty well-balanced match, the
Portuaires and the Mimos parted ways on a draw 1-1.
The Yellow and Black started off the match on
the right foot, opening the score on the 4th minute through Mangoua Kessé after
Séwé’s keeper deflected a N’Gossan Antoine strike.
The Mimos continued to dominate and doubled the
score at the 20th minute, but Bakayoko Adama’s goal was refused for an
off-sides ruling.
The Portuaire striker Dion Sédé Marc missed a
fantastic opportunity just before half-time and the Mimos headed back to the
cloakrooms leading with a small advantage.
San Pedro’s protégés took the game into their
hands from kick-off in the second half and Zougoula Kevin put the two teams on
an even footing, equalising on the 47th minute 1-1.
Under Séwé’s dominance, ASEC’s confidence began
to wane and they were reduced to ten on the 73rd minute following the expulsion
of Comoé Katalin.
Despite two opportunities right at the end of
the match by Kouakou N’Doua and then Bougouhi for the Yellow and Black, the
score remained the same.
There is therefore a squeeze on the standings
table with only two points separating second-placed AFAD and the last, ASEC, and
we will have to wait till the tenth and final day to know who will join Africa
Sports in the continental competitions.
Results of day nine:
AFAD 2-1 Africa Sports
Stella 2-1 SOA
Séwé Sport 1-1 ASEC
Programme for day ten:
Wednesday 23 November
ASEC – AFAD (Stade
Robert Champroux)
SOA – Séwé Sport (Parc des Sports de
Treichville)
Africa Sports –
Stella (Stade Félix Houphouet-Boigny)
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