2015 Africa Cup of Nations Group D

Group D of the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations was played from 20 January until 28 January in Equatorial Guinea. The group consisted of Ivory Coast, Mali, Cameroon, and Guinea.^[1] Ivory Coast and Guinea advanced as group winners and runners-up respectively, while Mali and Cameroon were eliminated.

Teams

Draw position	Team	Method of qualification	Date of qualification	Finals appearance	Last appearance	Previous best performance	CAF Rankings Points[nb 1]	FIFA Rankings Start of event
D1	Ivory Coast	Group D runners-up	19 November 2014	21st	2013	Winners (1992)	44	28
D2	Mali	Group B runners-up	19 November 2014	9th	2013	Runners-up (1972)	38	49
D3	Cameroon	Group D winners	15 November 2014	17th	2010	Winners (1984, 1988, 2000, 2002)	23.5	42
D4	Guinea	Group E runners-up	19 November 2014	11th	2012	Runners-up (1976)	19	39

Notes

1. The CAF rankings were used for seeding for the final draw.

Standings

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	Ivory Coast	3	1	2	0	3	2	+1	5	Advance to knockout stage
2	Guinea	3	0	3	0	3	3	0	3[lower-alpha 1]
3	Mali	3	0	3	0	3	3	0	3[lower-alpha 1]
4	Cameroon	3	0	2	1	2	3	−1	2

Source: CAF
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
Notes:

1. Guinea and Mali were tied on head-to-head record, overall goal difference, and overall goals scored. A drawing of lots took place on 29 January 2015, 16:00 local time at the Hilton Malabo. Guinea selected the lot for 2nd place and advanced to the quarter-finals as the group runner-up.^[2][3][4]

In the quarter-finals:

• Ivory Coast advanced to play Algeria (runner-up of Group C).
• Guinea advanced to play Ghana (winner of Group C).

Matches

All times local, WAT (UTC+1).

Ivory Coast vs Guinea

Guinea took the lead in the 36th minute when Mohamed Yattara smashed home a headed clearance from the Ivory Coast defence. Gervinho was sent off in the 58th minute for hitting Naby Keïta in the face, but the 10-men Ivory Coast equalized in the 72nd minute, as Wilfried Bony controlled the ball on his chest and passed to Seydou Doumbia to score.^[5][6]

Ivory Coast  v  Guinea

20 January 2015 17:00

Ivory Coast	1–1	Guinea
Doumbia  72'	Report	M. Yattara  36'

Nuevo Estadio de Malabo, Malabo Attendance: 14,875 Referee: Mehdi Abid Charef (Algeria)

Ivory Coast

Guinea

GK 16 Sylvain Gbohouo RB 17 Serge Aurier  40' CB 21 Eric Bertrand Bailly CB 4 Kolo Touré LB 22 Wilfried Kanon CM 19 Yaya Touré (c)  86' CM 9 Cheick Tioté  62' RW 10 Gervinho  58' AM 8 Salomon Kalou  65' LW 20 Serey Die  54'   65' CF 12 Wilfried Bony Substitutions: DF 5 Siaka Tiéné  65' FW 7 Seydou Doumbia  65' MF 6 Cheick Doukouré  86' Manager: Hervé Renard

GK 1 Naby Yattara RB 20 Baissama Sankoh CB 17 Boubacar Fofana CB 10 Kévin Constant LB 5 Fodé Camara CM 4 Florentin Pogba CM 3 Issiaga Sylla RW 15 Naby Keïta AM 8 Ibrahima Traoré (c) LW 12 Ibrahima Conté CF 2 Mohamed Yattara   71' Substitutions: FW 7 Abdoul Camara  71' Manager: Michel Dussuyer

Man of the Match: Ibrahima Traoré (Guinea)[7] Assistant referees: Abdelhak Etchiali (Algeria) Yahaya Mahamadou (Niger) Fourth official: Joaquin Esono Eyang (Equatorial Guinea)

Mali vs Cameroon

Mali took the lead in the 71st minute as Molla Wagué's flick-on from a free kick allowed Sambou Yatabaré to score at the far post. Cameroon equalized in the 84th minute, after Ambroise Oyongo controlled Raoul Loé's lofted pass to score from close range.^[8][9]

Mali  v  Cameroon

20 January 2015 20:00

Mali	1–1	Cameroon
S. Yatabaré  71'	Report	Oyongo  84'

Nuevo Estadio de Malabo, Malabo Referee: Janny Sikazwe (Zambia)

Mali

Cameroon

GK 16 Soumbeïla Diakité RB 15 Drissa Diakité CB 23 Molla Wagué CB 4 Salif Coulibaly LB 3 Adama Tamboura DM 8 Yacouba Sylla CM 17 Mamoutou N'Diaye   24'   80' CM 12 Seydou Keita (c) RW 14 Sambou Yatabaré  90+4' LW 10 Bakary Sako CF 7 Mustapha Yatabaré  86' Substitutions: MF 6 Tongo Doumbia  80' FW 20 Modibo Maïga  86' MF 21 Abdou Traoré  90+4' Manager: Henryk Kasperczak

GK 16 Fabrice Ondoa RB 6 Ambroise Oyongo CB 21 Aurélien Chedjou CB 3 Nicolas N'Koulou LB 12 Henri Bedimo CM 18 Eyong Enoh  17' CM 4 Raoul Loé RW 8 Benjamin Moukandjo AM 13 Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting (c) LW 11 Edgar Salli CF 10 Vincent Aboubakar Substitutions: MF 20 Franck Kom  17'  78' FW 15 Franck Etoundi  78' Manager: Volker Finke

Man of the Match: Sambou Yatabaré (Mali)[10] Assistant referees: Jerson dos Santos (Angola) Oamogetse Godisamang (Botswana) Fourth official: Joseph Odartei Lamptey (Ghana)

Ivory Coast vs Mali

Mali took the lead in the 7th minute, as Bakary Sako scored home from Sambou Yatabaré's cross. Ivory Coast equalized in the 86th minute, when Serge Aurier passed to Max Gradel to score.^[11][12]

Ivory Coast  v  Mali

24 January 2015 17:00

Ivory Coast	1–1	Mali
Gradel  86'	Report	Sako  7'

Nuevo Estadio de Malabo, Malabo Attendance: 14,890 Referee: Bouchaïb El Ahrach (Morocco)

Ivory Coast

Mali

GK 16 Sylvain Gbohouo RB 17 Serge Aurier CB 22 Wilfried Kanon  83' CB 4 Kolo Touré LB 5 Siaka Tiéné CM 14 Ismaël Diomandé  39' CM 9 Cheick Tioté  82' RW 19 Yaya Touré (c) LW 21 Eric Bertrand Bailly CF 12 Wilfried Bony  84' CF 7 Seydou Doumbia Substitutions: MF 15 Max Gradel  39' FW 8 Salomon Kalou  83' FW 11 Tallo Gadji  84' Manager: Hervé Renard

GK 16 Soumbeïla Diakité  72' RB 15 Drissa Diakité CB 23 Molla Wagué CB 4 Salif Coulibaly LB 3 Adama Tamboura DM 17 Mamoutou N'Diaye CM 12 Seydou Keita (c)  77' CM 8 Yacouba Sylla  59' RW 10 Bakary Sako  78' LW 14 Sambou Yatabaré  88' CF 7 Mustapha Yatabaré  90+1' Substitutions: GK 1 Germain Berthé  72' MF 6 Tongo Doumbia  78' FW 20 Modibo Maïga  90+1' Manager: Henryk Kasperczak

Man of the Match: Seydou Keita (Mali)[13] Assistant referees: Redouane Achik (Morocco) Malik Alidu Salifu (Ghana) Fourth official: Juste Ephrem Zio (Burkina Faso)

Cameroon vs Guinea

Cameroon took the lead in the 13th minute, when Benjamin Moukandjo's corner evaded everybody and hit the goalkeeper to go into the net. Guinea equalized in the 42nd minute, as Ibrahima Traoré received a pass from Issiaga Sylla, and shot home from outside the penalty area.^[14][15]

Cameroon  v  Guinea

24 January 2015 20:00

Cameroon	1–1	Guinea
Moukandjo  13'	Report	Traoré  42'

Nuevo Estadio de Malabo, Malabo Attendance: 15,000 Referee: Tessema Bamlak (Ethiopia)

Cameroon

Guinea

GK 16 Fabrice Ondoa RB 6 Ambroise Oyongo  62' CB 21 Aurélien Chedjou CB 3 Nicolas N'Koulou LB 12 Henri Bedimo DM 13 Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting CM 17 Stéphane Mbia (c) CM 4 Raoul Loé  81' RW 8 Benjamin Moukandjo LW 11 Edgar Salli CF 10 Vincent Aboubakar  77' Substitutions: DF 5 Jérôme Guihoata  62' FW 15 Franck Etoundi  77' MF 20 Franck Kom  81' Manager: Volker Finke

GK 1 Naby Yattara RB 20 Baissama Sankoh CB 5 Fodé Camara CB 4 Florentin Pogba  45+3' LB 3 Issiaga Sylla DM 17 Boubacar Fofana  32' CM 10 Kévin Constant CM 12 Ibrahima Conté RW 8 Ibrahima Traoré (c)  90+3' LW 18 Seydouba Soumah  66' CF 2 Mohamed Yattara Substitutions: DF 13 Abdoulaye Cissé  45+3' MF 15 Naby Keïta  66' FW 19 François Kamano  90+3' Manager: Michel Dussuyer

Man of the Match: Ibrahima Traoré (Guinea)[16] Assistant referees: Abdelhak Etchiali (Algeria) Anouar Hmila (Tunisia) Fourth official: Eric Otogo-Castane (Gabon)

Cameroon vs Ivory Coast

The only goal of the match was scored by Max Gradel in the 35th minute, as he stole the ball from the Cameroon defence, dribbled inside and shot home from outside the penalty area. The win sent Ivory Coast to the quarter-finals as group winners, while Cameroon were eliminated.^[17][18]

Cameroon  v  Ivory Coast

28 January 2015 19:00

Cameroon	0–1	Ivory Coast
	Report	Gradel  35'

Nuevo Estadio de Malabo, Malabo Attendance: 15,230 Referee: Eric Otogo-Castane (Gabon)

Cameroon

Ivory Coast

GK 16 Fabrice Ondoa RB 5 Jérôme Guihoata CB 21 Aurélien Chedjou CB 3 Nicolas N'Koulou LB 12 Henri Bedimo CM 14 Georges Mandjeck CM 8 Benjamin Moukandjo  67' RW 13 Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting AM 17 Stéphane Mbia (c) LW 15 Franck Etoundi  55' CF 11 Edgar Salli  46' Substitutions: FW 10 Vincent Aboubakar  46' FW 2 Léonard Kweuke  55' MF 7 Clinton N'Jie  67' Manager: Volker Finke

GK 16 Sylvain Gbohouo  90+3' RB 17 Serge Aurier CB 21 Eric Bertrand Bailly   27'  28' CB 4 Kolo Touré LB 22 Wilfried Kanon CM 20 Serey Die CM 19 Yaya Touré (c)  32'  82' RW 15 Max Gradel AM 7 Seydou Doumbia  60' LW 5 Siaka Tiéné CF 12 Wilfried Bony Substitutions: DF 2 Ousmane Viera  28' MF 11 Tallo Gadji  60' MF 6 Cheick Doukouré  82' Manager: Hervé Renard

Man of the Match: Max Gradel (Ivory Coast)[19] Assistant referees: Abdelhak Etchiali (Algeria) Jean-Claude Birumushahu (Burundi) Fourth official: Malang Diedhiou (Senegal)

Guinea vs Mali

Guinea took the lead in the 15th minute with a penalty by Kévin Constant, which was awarded due to a handball by Salif Coulibaly. Mali then were awarded their own penalty three minutes later after Baissama Sankoh was penalised for handball, but Seydou Keita's penalty was easily saved. Mali equalized in the 47th minute, when Abdoulay Diaby crossed for Modibo Maïga to head home. The match finished in a 1–1 draw, the same scoreline as both Guinea and Mali's previous two matches, meaning that the two teams were tied on head-to-head record, overall goal difference, and overall goals scored. A drawing of lots were held the next day to decide which team qualify for the quarter-finals as group runner-up, which was won by Guinea (see below for details).^[20][21]

Guinea  v  Mali

28 January 2015 19:00

Guinea	1–1	Mali
Constant  15' (pen.)	Report	Maïga  47'

Estadio de Mongomo, Mongomo Attendance: 13,470 Referee: Mohamed Said Kordi (Tunisia)

Guinea

Mali

GK 1 Naby Yattara RB 13 Abdoulaye Cissé CB 20 Baissama Sankoh CB 5 Fodé Camara LB 3 Issiaga Sylla  55'   57' DM 15 Naby Keïta CM 17 Boubacar Fofana CM 10 Kévin Constant  84' RW 8 Ibrahima Traoré (c)  62' LW 12 Ibrahima Conté CF 2 Mohamed Yattara Substitutions: DF 23 Djibril Tamsir Paye  57' FW 18 Seydouba Soumah  62' FW 7 Abdoul Camara  84' Manager: Michel Dussuyer

GK 1 Germain Berthé RB 15 Drissa Diakité CB 23 Molla Wagué CB 4 Salif Coulibaly LB 3 Adama Tamboura DM 17 Mamoutou N'Diaye  90+1' CM 8 Yacouba Sylla CM 12 Seydou Keita (c) RW 18 Abdoulay Diaby  70'   72' LW 20 Modibo Maïga CF 7 Mustapha Yatabaré  84' Substitutions: MF 10 Bakary Sako  72' MF 14 Sambou Yatabaré  84' MF 21 Abdou Traoré  90+1' Manager: Henryk Kasperczak

Man of the Match: Modibo Maïga (Mali)[22] Assistant referees: Anouar Hmila (Tunisia) Malik Alidu Salifu (Ghana) Fourth official: Mehd Abid Charef (Algeria)

Drawing of lots

Guinea and Mali finished level on the second spot after the group stage, making the first drawing of lots needed at the tournament since 1988. Unlike some other international tournaments, 2015 Africa Cup of Nations tournament regulations would not use fair-play criteria or a penalty shoot-out after the teams met on the last match day to determine the final group ranking. Both head coaches have openly criticised the regulations.^[23]

The draw took place at 16:00 WAT (UTC+1) on 29 January 2015, at the Hilton Malabo. Representatives of each team drew a ball, one of which was numbered '2' and the other numbered '3'.^[2] Guinea drew the ball '2' and were placed as runners-up in the group, with Mali being third. As such, Guinea advanced to the quarter-finals and Mali were eliminated.^[3][4]

References

1. "Ghana, Algeria, South Africa, Senegal in Group of Death". CAF. 4 December 2014.
2. "Procedure for the draw between Mali and Guinea". CAF. 28 January 2015.
3. "Guinea to face Ghana in quarter final". CAF. 29 January 2015.
4. Hills, David. "Africa Cup of Nations 2015: Guinea and Mali draw lots – live!". The Guardian. Retrieved 29 January 2015.
5. "BBC Sport – Ivory Coast 1-1 Guinea". BBC Sport. 20 January 2015.
6. "Ivory Coast – Guinea". Youtube. 20 January 2015.
7. "Match report: Ivory Coast 1–1 Guinea" (PDF). Confederation of African Football. 20 January 2015. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
8. "BBC Sport – Mali 1-1 Cameroon". BBC Sport. 20 January 2015.
9. "Mali – Cameroon". Youtube. 20 January 2015.
10. "Match report: Mali 1–1 Cameroon" (PDF). Confederation of African Football. 20 January 2015. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
11. "BBC Sport – Ivory Coast 1-1 Mali". BBC Sport. 24 January 2015.
12. "Ivory Coast – Mali". Youtube. 24 January 2015.
13. "Match report: Ivory Coast 1–1 Mali" (PDF). Confederation of African Football. 24 January 2015. Retrieved 25 January 2015.
14. "BBC Sport – Cameroon 1-1 Guinea". BBC Sport. 24 January 2015.
15. "Cameroon – Guinea". Youtube. 24 January 2015.
16. "Match report: Cameroon 1–1 Guinea" (PDF). Confederation of African Football. 24 January 2015. Retrieved 25 January 2015.
17. "BBC Sport – Cameroon 0-1 Ivory Coast". BBC Sport. 28 January 2015.
18. "Cameroon – Ivory Coast". Youtube. 28 January 2015.
19. "Match report: Cameroon 0–1 Ivory Coast" (PDF). Confederation of African Football. 28 January 2015. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
20. "BBC Sport – Guinea 1-1 Mali". BBC Sport. 28 January 2015.
21. "Guinea – Mali". Youtube. 28 January 2015.
22. "Match report: Guinea 1–1 Mali" (PDF). Confederation of African Football. 28 January 2015. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
23. "Afcon 2015: Mali and Guinea managers criticise drawing of lots". BBC Sport. 28 January 2015.

External links

• Orange Africa Cup Of Nations, Equatorial Guinea 2015, CAFonline.com