Haller and Kossounou both help Cote d’Ivoire knock out defending AFCON champs Senegal

Africa’s grand continental showpiece will conclude with a new country reigning as the “King of the CAF Confederation”. Defending 2021 AFCON champions Senegal were eliminated by hosts Cote d’Ivoire in a Round-of-16 penalty shootout on Monday evening.  Two Bundesliga professionals representing the Ivorian “Elephants” made their first appearances for their country in the tournament. Leverkusen’s Odilon Kossounou and Dortmund’s Sebastien Haller both factored in heavily as the Ivorians beat the odds.  Haller converted his try from the spot in the shootout. Kossounou found his way back into the starting XI after Cote d’Ivoire sacked their national team trainer following an embarrassing historic defeat that nearly saw them eliminated from the tournament.