Cote d'Ivorie are quite happy to let this game play out to full time. Not long left for them now, and their players look absolutely spent. Guinea attempt to break, but Sylla's cross is blocked.
88'
Razzagui has time to deliver from the left but his cross is miles over the head of his teammates in the box. Traore does excellently to keep the ball alive on the far side, but he too can't find the right pass into the area.
86'
C. Doukouré enters the game and replaces Y. Touré.
Yaya Toure has not had his greatest game here and in the past quarter-of-an-hour or so, he's begun to fatigue noticeably. Renard decides that enough is enough and pulls the midfielder, introducing Doukoure in his place.
84'
Guinea cause chaos from a free kick as Constant's delivery is met by Bertrand, but the ball doesn't clear the area completely. Gbohouo tries to collect it but can't, and he's lucky to see it go a few yards wide!
81'
Traore cracks a long-range volley just off target as Guinea try to orchestrate another chance at a game winner. They will be a tad disappointed if they can't claim all three points here.
78'
Camara drives late into the box to latch onto a hooked cross, and he has to turn his neck muscles to guide a header on target. However, it lacks any kind of power and the keeper can grab.
76'
GREAT PLAY FROM AURIER! The PSG man storms down the right and leaves his marker eating dirt. He slides a low cross towards the near post, but Bony can't turn it home! The resulting corner comes to naught.
74'
Now this makes things very interesting. Surely Guinea will push forward now to press home their numerical advantage. The Elephants response will be interesting though - with 10 men, do they hold what they have or push for a winner?
72'
S. Doumbia has scored a goal for Côte d'Ivoire! Assist by W. Bony.
AND THAT'S WHY! COTE D'IVOIRE ARE LEVEL! Guinea switch off as Bony plucks a ball out of the sky, before sidefooting a pass into the path of Doumbia, who races into the area and prods into the corner!
71'
Abdoul Camara enters the game and replaces M. Yattara.
Minute
Description
70'
The match has entered something of a dead spell as a raft of substitutions break up what little momentum had developed. This suits Guinea's purposes just fine, though you get the feeling that they will fancy a second just to be sure.
67'
In typically eccentric African goalkeeper fashion, Gbohouo races off his line and slaps a cross away from the head of Yattara with a flailing dive. Hardly conventional, but effective.
65'
S. Tiéné enters the game and replaces S. Dié.
S. Doumbia enters the game and replaces S. Kalou.
GBOHOUO SAVES! The free kick is whipped towards the near post and the Elephants keeper pushes it wide just before Constant can attack it! Guinea look good for a second goal.
63'
Cote d'Ivoire are falling apart! Tiote commits a reckless but needed challenge to stop Yattara from advancing into the box! A really dangerous free kick on the edge of the area for Guinea now.
62'
C. Tioté gets yellow.
NEARLY A STUNNING SECOND! My word did Traore deserve that one to go in. Collecting a diagonal ball down the right-hand side, he cuts in past two defenders and cracks an unbelievable shot that rebounds off the frame of the goal! What a sumptuous effort!
60'
Just what Cote d'Ivoire didn't need. The ONE man in their XI that looked capable of dragging them back into the game. It was an incredibly idiotic moment, but Gervinho has a history of reacting to perceived provocation. Joey Barton says hi.
58'
Y. Gervinho goes off after a red card!
GERVINHO SENT OFF! What a dumb decision from the forward. He loses his cool and puts his hands on an opponent off the ball. The referee had no choice, and the Roma man leaves the pitch practically in tears.
56'
It's a reversal of roles from the first half. This time, Cote d'Ivoire are dominating possession, but Guinea have the ability to profit on the break. Finely poised at the moment.
54'
S. Dié gets yellow.
GOT TO BE A YELLOW! A Cote d'Ivoire corner breaks down and Yattara can break! The striker has virtually a free run at goal, but he's felled by an ugly challenge from Serey Die. He slid in with reckless abandon, and the referee immediately booked him. A harsher official could have easily ruled that as a last-man foul!
52'
The Elephants are starting to force some more corners and the quality of their deliveries compared to Guinea's is like night and day. Yattara is showing good command of his area though.
50'
This has not been the best game for Aurier. At fault for the opener and not able to overlap in the menacing fashion that saw him set up both goals in Cote d'Ivoire's World Cup win against Japan last summer.
48'
THERE WE GO! Much better from Bony! After a turgid first half, the Man City man takes a half-volley on the bounce. It's dipping viciously, and needs a brush off the fingertips of Yattara to help it over the bar!
46'
Here we go again!
44'
From a long ball out of the back, Pogba and Camara hesitate, leaving Yattara to come out to meet the delivery before Bony can pounce. It leaves the keeper in a heap, and he takes a while to get back to his feet.
42'
GErvinho drives through the centre this time and picks out Serey Die on the right-hand side. He eats up a lot of ground in a short period of time, but his low cross into the area is cleared by the heel of Pogba.
40'
S. Aurier gets yellow.
Camara and Pogba have both been superb in the heart of the Guinea defence. They've forced Bony off the ball more than once and have been first to every delivery into the area.
38'
Will that wake up Cote d'Ivoire? Apart from Gervinho's individual brilliance, they have not looked like the team that many have picked as favourites for this tournament. Guinea have done enough to deserve their lead.
36'
M. Yattara has scored a goal for Guinea!
WHAT AN OPENER! GUINEA LEAD! Yattara connects on a cross with unbelievable power and puts a dent into the back of the net! The Cote d'Ivoire defence was too static there.
34'
For the third time in this game, Gervinho storms into a critical position down the left-hand side to have a shot on goal, but this time. the forward's shot is an easier save for Yattara.
31'
GERVINHO! Another great chance for the Roma man! His pace is proving to be the most deadly weapon in this game, as he gets free down the left once again, smashing a powerful shot on goal that is saved once again by Yattara! On second thought, the offside flag is up.
29'
Kalou goes down on the deck inside the box after pressure from Issiaga. It was a clean challenge and the Guinea players appeal for a booking for simulation, but the referee fairly rules it as a simple loss of balance.
27'
There's been a certain casualness to Cote d'Ivoire's play. It's not an uncommon occurrence, as the Elephants have been criticized in the pass for their lack of urgency against 'inferior' opposition.
25'
Guinea have forced a few corners and free kicks in the opposition half but their execution from those dead-ball scenarios has been absolutely terrible. Will they regret such sloppiness?
23'
Fans might recognize the Pogba name in the Guinea lineup. Indeed, Florentin Pogba is the brother of the more famous Paul.
21'
Remember way back when Marco van Basten applied the full-court press to get Salomon Kalou Dutch citizenship in order for him to represent the Netherlands at international level?
19'
The Elephants seem to have woken up. They are starting to flex their individual muscles, with Gervinho and Bony looking to move into dangerous positions around the penalty area.
17'
WHAT A CHANCE! Gervinho simply carves Guinea apart on the break, sprinting half the length of the pitch past two men. He advances into the area towards the near post and goes for the finish, but Yattara's touch pushes it onto the woodwork!
15'
Guinea have attacked at pace and with many players in support, but their endeavour is starting to open up gaps on the counter attack. Gervinho and Kalou can certainly exploit this.
13'
Bony is called for a foul after manhandling a defender when trying to attach to a ball from Kalou. Cote d'Ivoire are starting to make more inroads into the attacking third, and Guinea better watch out.
11'
Guinea have manufactured a few positive attacks down the flanks, and Cote d'Ivorie have been slow to get men out to cover overlapping runners. Their deliveries from corners has been poor though.
9'
Cote d'Ivoire storm forward and Kalou finds Gervinho in a dangerous position. The Roma man attempts to pay it forward to Yaya Toure, but his pass is read well by Constant.
7'
Though there are plenty of empty seats inside Estadio de Malabo, the fans are still making a great noise, with Cote d'Ivoire in particular having a decent representation here in Equatorial Guinea.
5'
Mohamed Yattara weaves past two men down the left-hand side and squeezes a great pass to Conte, whose advance to the byline has to be stopped by Toure! Corner to come, but it has no direction whatsoever.
3'
A slightly sloppy start to the game from Cote d'Ivoire, who are looking languid with their passing. They've only won one of their last seven games, so is there an opening for Guinea to pull an upset?
1'
We're off!
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the AFCON clash between Cote d'Ivoire and Guinea. The Elephants are looking to finally go all the way in this tournament, and they face a side that have a tough task ahead of them to qualify from Group D. I'm Keeghann Sinanan, your guide for all the action.
Cote d'Ivoire have not added to their solitary Africa Cup of Nations triumph in 1992, despite being tournament favourites in the majority of the editions since then. They came close in 2006 and 2012, but lost both finals to Egypt and Zambia respectively.
With Mali and Cameroon also competing in this group, Guinea look to be serious underdogs. However, they've already navigated their way through a difficult qualifying section featuring Ghana, Uganda and Togo, so don't write off the National Elephants for one second.
Guinea haven't won a match between these two sides since 1994, with Cote d'Ivoire emerging victorious in seven of their last eight encounters.
Herve Renard will manage Cote d'Ivoire from the dugout - he won the 2012 AFCON final with Zambia against his current employers. Guinea are led by Frenchman Michel Dussuyer, a former goalkeeper, who is currently in his third spell at the helm of the African nation.
With longtime talisman Didier Drogba retired, the time is now for Wilfrid Bony to shine. The new Manchester City man will lead the line, supported by familiar faces like Gervinho, Salomon Kalou and Yaya Toure, who plays despite missing training as a precaution.
Captain Kamil Zayatte is unavailable for selection due to a leg injury, so a lot will depend on Kevin Constant in the heart of Guinea's defence. The former AC Milan man will partner Boubacar Fofana at the back, and they are expected to have a busy afternoon.
There is a minute's silence for the victims of the Ebola epidemic, which forced this tournament into a last-minute host chance from Morocco to Equatorial Guinea.
The referee brings an end to the first half without any added time, and Guinea hold a narrow 1-0 advantage at the break. The National Elephants have been positive, and will be very pleased with their first-half showing. they same can't be said of Cote d'Ivoire, who have looked lethargic outside of the effervescent Gervinho. Renard will surely not be silent at the break. Stay tuned for the restart in just a bit.
The referee ends the game, and both teams will feel like they should have gotten something more. Cote d'Ivoire, heavily favoured at the start of play, were well below their best. Ironically, it took a red card to their best player, Gervinho, to get them performing long enough to draw level. That must be a sore point for Guinea, who were deservedly ahead but could not preserve their lead even with a man advantage. A point apiece to kick off Group D.
That's all from me, I've been Keeghann Sinanan and it's been a pleasure.
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