On January 13, 2024, Seko Fofana, a player for the Saudi Pro League team Al Nassr, scored the first goal of the 2023 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) between Ivory Coast and Guinea-Bissau, the hosting nation.

The 28-year-old Seko Fofana scored the goal in the 4th minute of the Group A encounter after taking advantage of a pass from another Saudi Pro League player, Franck Kessié of Al-Ahli.

Fofana who is a former France youth international and made his international debut for Ivory Coast on November 11, 2017, celebrated the AFCON 2023 opener with his teammates like it was the tournament’s winner.

That was Seko Fofana’s 5th goal in 12 appearances for the Elephant of Cote d’Ivoire as they seek to win their third AFCON title.

His goal was all the AFCON’s hosts needed to end the first half of the encounter with a goal lead.

In the second half, the hosts continued to pass the ball around as they patiently waited for Guinea-Bissau to open up their defense. The Ivorians enjoyed some brilliant and skillful runs on the left flank that kept the capacity-filled Alassane Ouattara Stadium in Abidjan excited in most parts of the game.

However, it was not until the 58th minute that Jean-Philippe Krasso doubled the lead for the hosts, a goal that ended up as the final nail in the coffin for the Guinea-Bissau team who seemed exhausted by the burning heat of the evening.

Ivory Coast’s next meeting comes up against the Super Eagles of Nigeria on January 18. Guinea-Bissau will take on Equatorial Guinea on the said date as the 2023 AFCON takes off in full force.