Ivory Coast beat defending champ Senegal on penalties to reach Africa Cup quarters

Abidjan: It’s party time in Ivory Coast. Frank Kessie scored the winning penalty for the host nation to knock out defending champion Senegal from the Africa Cup of Nations last 16 in a penalty shootout on Monday.

It was Kessie’s second successful spot kick of the match after going on as a substitute to equalize for 1-1 in normal time with his 86th-minute penalty in Yamoussoukro.

Senegal defender Moussa Niakhat missed the titleholder’s third penalty in the shootout, but all five of the home team’s penalty takers scored to win 5-4 and set off joyful celebrations in Charles Konan Banny Stadium and beyond. Players danced on the field and supporters danced in the stands. Street parties broke out in Abidjan, where car drivers honked their horns and soccer fans danced, cheered and blew loud vuvuzelas. Fans watching the game on large screens in in Treichville, Abidjan screamed, jumped up and down, and hugged each other. Some ran for the sake of running. Some cried tears of joy. Others shook plastic chairs above their heads.

The hosts got off to a bad start when Habib Diallo took Sadio Mane‘s speculative cross on his chest and fired the ball inside the top left corner in the fourth minute.

Man was booked shortly afterward for a studs-up tackle on Ibrahim Sangar , and TV replays showed he was fortunate to receive just a yellow card. The Elephants pushed hard for an equalizer with Seko Fofana leading the charge, but the team lacked a Didier Drogba-type striker to really cause problems for the excellent

Senegalese defense.