New headache for Rui Borges: Sporting still without defensive rock | OneFootball

Ousmane Diomande, Sporting's central defender, will continue to be absent for the lions. The defensive pillar of the leonine team was present in Ivory Coast's 3-0 victory over Burkina Faso last Tuesday, in a match for the round of 16 of the African Cup of Nations (CAN).

Diomande's continued participation in the competition has been a headache for Rui Borges. In addition to the absence of the African central defender, one of his usual starters, the absences of Zeno Debast and now Eduardo Quaresma, both due to injury, force the coach to adapt Matheus Reis in the center of defense to pair with Gonçalo Inácio.

The game was decided in the first half, with Amad Diallo opening the scoring at 20 minutes and Yan Diomande extending the lead at 32’, before Bazoumana Touré sealed the result at 87'. The team's solid performance reinforces Ivory Coast's ambition to win a consecutive African championship.

The "elephants" emerge as one of the favorite teams to win the competition. Not only because of their history and the quality of the squad, but also because of their results in the competition. Ivory Coast finished first in Group F, with seven points, the same as Cameroon, and ahead of Mozambique, with Geny Catamo, already eliminated from the competition, and Gabon.

Ivory Coast will now face a high-difficulty match against Egypt, for the quarter-finals, on the 10th, with the two African continent giants fighting for a place in the semi-finals and the continuation of their dream to become champions.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.