From the opening whistle at the Stade de Marrakech, Ivory Coast made it clear they had no intention of becoming another defending champion swallowed by AFCON’s unforgiving history.
The holders came out with purpose, tempo and aggression, immediately pinning Burkina Faso back and setting the tone for a dominant night in Morocco.
Burkina Faso did show early intent, with Simpore testing Yahia Fofana from distance in the third minute, but that brief moment of ambition was quickly drowned out by waves of Ivorian pressure.
ALSO READ: AFCON 2025: Algeria edge DR Congo with extra-time winner to reach the quarterfinals
Amad Diallo, operating on the right flank, was at the heart of everything. By the eighth minute, he had already clipped the post after dancing past his marker, a warning sign of what was to come.
Ivory Coast crush Burkina Faso 3-0
Ivory Coast’s pressure finally told in the 19th minute. A physical duel in midfield saw the ball break kindly for Amad, who weaved through three defenders before delicately lifting a finish over Hervé Koffi.
VAR briefly checked the build-up for a foul, but the goal stood, sparking celebrations among the orange-clad faithful and giving the champions a deserved lead.
Rather than sit back, Emerse Faé’s side pushed on. Franck Kessié arrived late into the box on multiple occasions, while Guéla Doué and Amad continued to overload the right side. \
Burkina Faso struggled to cope, and in the 31st minute, Ivory Coast struck again. Once more, Amad was the architect, bursting down the wing before cutting the ball back into the path of Yan Diomande, who calmly swept his finish into the bottom corner for 2-0.
The Ivorians were ruthless. Burkina Faso barely had time to reorganize, and although Dango Ouattara rattled the post shortly before half-time, it was Ivory Coast who went into the break firmly in control, having dominated possession, chances and territory.
The second half saw Burkina Faso attempt to respond, introducing Bertrand Traoré and pushing higher up the pitch.
There were moments of concern for Ivory Coast, particularly when Ouattara forced Fofana into a sharp save at the near post, but the champions remained disciplined. Even as their attacking fluency dipped slightly after the restart, they never lost control of the match.
As the game entered its final stages, Ivory Coast’s depth began to show.
With key attackers withdrawn to preserve energy for the quarter-finals, Burkina Faso sensed a faint opening but lacked the quality to capitalize. That hope was extinguished in emphatic fashion in the 88th minute.
Substitute Bazoumana Touré picked up the ball deep inside his own half and surged forward on a devastating counter-attack.
Carrying it nearly the full length of the pitch, the 19-year-old showed remarkable composure to finish inside the near post, sealing a 3-0 victory and bringing the contest to an emphatic conclusion.
At full-time, the significance of the result was clear. Ivory Coast became the first defending AFCON champions since 2010 to reach the quarter-finals, sending a powerful message to the rest of the tournament.
Awaiting them next is a heavyweight clash against Egypt and on this performance, the holders look more than ready to defend their crown.
