Bony-inspired Ivorians thump Algeria

Ivory Coast have beaten Algeria 3-1 with two goals by Wilfried Bony to send the Elephants into the Africa Nations Cup semifinal against DR Congo.

Bony opened the scoring before El Arabi Soudani levelled, Bony scored the second and then Gervinho wrapped up the game.

Algeria started well and the opening ten minutes they had most of the ball possession and kept Ivory Coast on the back foot.

In the 15th minute, though, the Ivorians got a breakaway and Gervinho tore down the right before sending in a cross that somehow missed all of his teammates and Algeria were off the hook.

Then in the 23rd minute Serge Aurier got up high at the far post to head a deep free kick against the upright. The ball rebounded back into play, but somehow Wilfried Bony could not steady himself in time to get a shot on target.

But just three minutes later Bony made sure to put his team ahead with a 26th minute headed goal at the back post following a wonderful cross by Max Gradel to pick him out. The ball was played in early and curled in behind the defenders to find Bony.

In the 40th minute Algeria’s Saphir Taider launched a free kick at goal but it did not trouble Sylvain Gbohouo in goal.

A minute later Bony let fly with a shot from distance, but the direction was not there before Taider tried from long range too, but his shot was not strong enough to trouble the Ivorian keeper.

Five minutes into the second half Gervinho got past his man and into a good scoring position, but the effort was deflected and the danger averted.

But a minute later Algeria equalized when El Arabi Soudani netted from close range after doing brilliantly to compose himself and blast the ball home following some poor defending and an excellent Riyad Mahrez cross from the left wing.

Algeria began to take a stranglehold on the match after the goal and came close to scoring in the 66th minute when a chance was cleared off the line.

But then the game swung back into the Ivorians’ favour when Bony struck again. Yaya Toure delivered a telling near post free kick, and Bony got in front of his marker to power the ball home. Poor marking from Algeria’s defence though.

With four minutes to go Algeria see a very good free kick by Ghoulam force a top save out of the Ivorian goalkeeper.

Gervinho made it 3-0 with a cool finish in the dying seconds of the game after Algeria had pushed men forward and left gaps at the back.

Ivory Coast (1) 3 (Bony 26’, 69’ Gervinho 90’)

Algeria (0) 1 (Soudani 51’)

TEAMS

Ivory Coast: Gbohouo, Aurier, Kanon, K. Toure, Bailly, Tiene (Doukoure 67’), Y. Toure, Serey Dié, Gradel, Bony (Tallo 90’), Gervinho

Algeria: M'Bolhi - Mandi, Bougherra, Medjani, Ghoulam - Feghouli, Taïder, Bentaleb, Mahrez (Belfodil 71’), Brahimi, Soudani (Slimani 71’)